Haunted Destiny
by Funkatron
Summary: The Teen Titans are having some ghostly trouble. A dark shadow from Raven's past is haunting her...literally. Who will they call for help: Fenton Works, of course. Will the Fentons and a certain half-ghost hero be able to help?
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes: What's up, everyone! Let me introduce myself. My name is Funkatron (or Funky for short) and welcome to my first fanfic. This one is gonna be a Danny Phantom/Teen Titans crossover. Why? First off, cause I'm a sucker for a good crossover story. Second of all, both DP and TT have some awesome characters and I decided I wanted to see how they would react to meeting each other.**

**Ok, one thing to put your mind at ease: There won't be any Vlad or Dark Dan or Slade or even Trigon. Those stories are a dime a dozen. The main baddies are OC's I cooked up just for this story. They share a common thread to the Teen Titans (or at least one of them) and Danny.**

**Any who, I hope you enjoy. Comment the heck out of it; it's the only way I'll learn. Thank you's are at the end of the Prologue**

**Update 5/26/2009: Hello, everyone! Funkatron here. Since this story is now going to show up on both DP and TT story listings, I would like to welcome any new readers. For these new guys, I shall be going back and doing some much needed cleaning up of these chapters, as they are full of rookie mistakes I hadn't bothered to correct before. Hopefully I can get this done in 2 weeks time, at the end of which I'll finally resume work on the sequel, "Lost and Found". **

**Anyway, on with the story and please review!**

Prologue

_The gem was born of evil's fire.  
The gem shall be his portal.  
He comes to claim. He comes to sire.  
The end of all things mortal! _

With those last words said, Raven began to ascend into the air while other Titans watched in terror as their friend and fellow teammate accepted her fate. The markings on her body began to take on a life of their own as they circled around her. He hand, which was desperately grasping a coin, the lucky penny given to her by Beast Boy, relaxed as the penny fell to the ground below. And with one final gasp, a blinding light engulfed her.

Beast Boy, Cyborg, Robin and Starfire shielded their eyes as the portal was formed. They looked back again to see the stone hand, which had been the centerpiece of the lair, was destroyed and in its place, a real one reached for the sky.

Trigon was free.

"The Earth is mine!" he roared, declaring his claim on their planet.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Amazing!"

Danny Fenton and his friends, Sam Manson and Tucker Foley, could barely hide their amusement at the way Jazz was acting. Danny couldn't even explain how the heck his sister had talked him into giving her a grand tour of the Ghost Zone, the dimension where most ghosts inhabited. Though he, Sam, and Tuck had been there dozens of times (many times by the seat of their pants) Jazz had never been, and she had decided that it was time that she did.

Danny smiled at the fact that his sister, who had at one time rejected ghosts and their parent's crazy, almost illogical obsession of them, was now just as obsessed. He figured it was probably because of her discovery that her little brother had been for almost a year now, as the hero Danny Phantom, fighting them and keeping them from wrecking their town of Amity Park. He looked on as Jazz stared out of the window of the Specter Speeder, wide eyed like a kid in a candy store. He then began to chuckle as she pulled out a notebook and began taking notes of what she was witnessing. 'Just like Jazz' he thought.

He made sure that he avoided many of the usual haunts of his known enemies, and was again grateful for the fact he had made a map of the Ghost Zone; it had helped him out in more than one occasion.

While he navigated the craft, he looked over at the other passengers: Tucker was next to Jazz, once again using the Fenton Phones as wireless headphones for his PDA. He was swaying to the beat of whatever song he was playing, oblivious of everything around him. Sitting between Tucker and Danny was Sam. She was in charge of keeping the map, and making sure Danny was headed in the right direction. She nodded her head toward Jazz and Tucker, and gave a knowing grin at the pair's antics. Danny smiled back, and then looked down at the time on the console.

"Ok, ladies and gentleman of Fenton Ghost Tours!" said Danny, mimicking a cheesy tour guide. "We are now making our way back to the ghost portal. Please fasten your seat belts and return your trays to their upright position."

"Wait! I'm not done!" yelled Jazz as she began to write faster on her pad.

"Not done with what? We've been out here for hours already", her brother asked.

"We have to stop! I wanted to interview a ghost or two," Jazz answered. Both Sam and Danny looked at her like she had grown another head.

"Jazz, you're my sister and I love you dearly but are you trying to get us killed?" Danny hollered.

"I'm doing research on the habits of ghosts in their natural habitat," Jazz stated matter of factly, like she was talking about wild animals instead of supernatural beings.

Sam rolled her eyes, thanking whoever was up there that she was an only child while Tucker was oblivious of the exchange, still dancing in his seat along with the music from his PDA.

"Jazz, as much as I'd love to get attacked and eviscerated by ghosts, I agree with Danny. It's already late and we don't want your parents wondering where we are. Isn't that right, Tucker?" Sam said as she nudged her oblivious friend.

"Huh? What? What's going on?" Tuck asked in bewilderment.

"Never mind. I guess you're right. But next time we run into a ghost that I could have easily helped pass on today, don't blame me!" Jazz told Danny, firing her last verbal salvo at her brother before continuing to write in her notepad. Both Sam and Danny rolled their eyes while Tucker looked back and forth, still clueless over what just had happened.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

The ride back was uneventful as they made their way back through the Fenton's Ghost portal. Landing the Speeder in its usual spot in the lab, they made their way out of the craft and began to head upstairs.

"At least Mom and Dad aren't here. I'd hate to think what woul…" Danny paused abruptly as he stopped at the top of the stairs.

"You'd hate to think what? What were you…?" Sam also stopped mid-sentence behind Danny.

"What's going on up there?" Jazz questioned as she and Tucker finally made it up the stairs. She gave a sharp gasp as her mind finally registered what was in the Fenton's kitchen.

In front of them were two stone statues, resembling the likeness of Jack and Maddie Fenton, their faces twisted in expressions of agony.

For a few minutes nothing was said. Danny was the first to move. He slowly walked up to the statues, with a look of dread on his face. The others joined him, still not quite sure what they were looking at.

"What happened?" Sam asked meekly.

"Ghosts," Danny muttered suddenly. His head hung low and he was clenching his fists.

"Danny, we don't know if it was ghosts," Tucker replied to his friend.

"How can it not be ghosts? We live in Amity Park, ghost capital of the world! Some ghost took advantage of me being gone and got back at me through my parents."

Jazz finally spoke up, "We don't know anything for sure. We have to figure out what's going on first before we jump to conclusions." Jazz had already decided she was going to be the calm, collected one of the group and try to prevent any hysteria from breaking out.

Danny reached out to touch his mother's face, only to hesitate and pull away before he touch it, afraid that he might somehow damage her. He clenched his fists again, anger flaring. Meanwhile Sam walked into the living room when something had caught her attention: a large hole in the wall where the windows used to be. What was beyond the wall shocked her even more and her eyes went wide.

"Danny? Guys? You better come over here. Now would be nice!"

The others ran quickly to her side and found they were equally awestruck: Their town was sporting a horrifying new face lift.

The sky, which should have been deep blue and riddled with stars by now, was as crimson as blood. The buildings looked ragged and decrepit, like they witnessed a great war. Rubble littered the streets, alongside statues, similar to the ones standing in the Fenton's kitchen. They all seemed to be starring at the sky, their faces full of fear and pain, as if they were being tortured.

Danny's fists began shaking. His eyes flashed green with anger as he looked at the carnage left behind in the city. _His_ city. The one he promised to protect.

"I- it's my fault. Damn!" Danny's outburst knocked everyone else back into reality.

"Danny..." Jazz began.

"No, Jazz it's my fault! I - I should have been here! Should have done something to stop this! I should have...should have," Danny stopped, unable find the words to continue.

"Danny, you can't blame yourself for this. You can't be everywhere at once! And besides, you don't know what would happen even if you were here. You could have been turned to stone just like everyone else."

"Are you trying to say I'm not strong enough to protect the city? Thanks a lot, Jazz"

"That's not what I meant. Danny!" Jazz defended, trying her best to calmly reason with her brother, but he wouldn't let her finish. Transforming to his ghost self, the halfa flew upwards, phasing through the ceiling leaving the three other teens behind.

'Oh no," Sam exclaimed as she suddenly realized something. "Mom! Dad!" For the first time, she was worried about her parents' well being. She quickly pulled out her cell phone and dialed her home number. Tucker did the same, calling his house to see if his parents were all right.

Meanwhile, Danny looked out to what was left of his city from above Fenton Works. The devastation seemed to go on forever. He could see the bay, now filled with lava instead of water. He wondered his mind what ghost could be powerful enough to do this.

Was it Plasmius? Pariah Dark? Dan? A new ghost he'd never met before? He pondered over the list in his mind, all the while feeling the mountain of guilt piling up on his shoulders. He had failed them all: his family, the city. He failed to protect them from whatever threat that had caused all this destruction. And what Jazz had said added to his guilt: Would even have been strong enough to stop it?

His mood deflating, he floated back down phasing back into the house. He returned to the living room, landed on his feet and then fell onto his knees defeated.

Tucker and Sam's calls confirmed their suspicions; there had been no answer at either of their houses. Were their parents all right? Were they statues like the Fentons and everyone else in the city? Both of them saw the fire of hope flickering fast.

"It's my fault," He repeated it like a mantra over and over, like a person possessed. Jazz realized her brother had returned and ran to him. She dropped down on her knees and began to hug him.

"You listen to me, Danny," she said, "You can't beat yourself over this. Everything is going to be ok, little brother. We'll get out of this, somehow."

Sam followed Jazz's lead and eventually even Tucker joined the embrace of their hero as they all tried to comfort him and each other. Danny was now sobbing his eyes out into his sister's shoulder, no longer being able to take the pressure. She calmly held him; stroking his hair much his mother did when he was small. She was going to be strong for Danny; that's what big sisters were supposed to do.

Everything was looking down for Amity and the rest of the world.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Jump City

"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!"

Trigon stepped back as his Raven uttered her signature magic phrase, now clad in brilliant white instead of her normal dark blue. As she uttered the magic words, a giant white bird, seemingly made of light rose from her and headed towards the demon.

Trigon was shocked at what was about to happened. His own daughter, the portal, his tool that brought him to Earth, had turned on him. He wondered where this power came from that was quickly engulfing him.

The other Titans averted their eyes as their city was once again was plunged into brightness…

DPDPDPDPDDPDPDPDPDPDDPDPDP

The four teens in Amity Park were still locked in an embrace in the Fenton's living room when they felt the ground rumble. They all looked up just as a light overtook them and the rest of the city. They all were disoriented from the glare, which seemed last only a few moments. As they rubbed their eyes, all of them did a double take: everything was back to normal.

The walls and windows were once again whole, bringing in the shine of the morning sunrise through the blinds and illuminating the living room.

As they marveled over the apparent miracle, the sound of groans coming from the kitchen caught their attentions.

"Mom? Dad?" Danny uttered as he quickly ran into the kitchen. In front of him were Jack and Maddie, back to flesh and blood, their faces full of confusion and disorientation. The halfa could hardly contain himself and he nearly knocked his parents over (no small feat, considering Jack's size) as he hugged them both. They looked perplexed at their son's reaction, as he held on tightly, almost afraid they'd disappear if he let go.

"Danny? What's going on?" Maddie asked her son.

"And why do I feel like I just spent 20 rounds wrestling an elephant?" Jack Fenton wondered.

Danny was so overjoyed that he couldn't form any words and he felt tears once again flow from his eyes, though this time they were tears of joy. He heard another 'humph' from his parents and when he looked up he saw Jazz had joined him in hugging them.

"Dad! We were so worried about you guys!" Her roll of big strong older sister now over, she allowed her own tears to trickle down her cheeks.

Her father gently patted her head, still confused on what was going on. "Jazzypants, why are you two so worked up all of the sudden!"

The eldest Fenton sibling looked at her father with a questioning glance. "You mean you guys don't remember anything?"

Maddie thought for a moment. "All remember was that I was stopping your father from having another late night snack when I suddenly felt a stab of pain. Next thing I knew Danny had almost knocked us over!"

Danny looked up with a worried look on his face. "You mean you guy didn't notice any ghost attack?"

"Ghosts!" Jack looked around suspiciously. "No, I would have noticed any spooks attacking us. But now that you mention it: Maddie! To the lab! We have to see if there was any ghost activity while we blacked out!" And with that, the bear of a man ran down the stairs to the lab, with his wife not too far behind.

Sam quickly rushed in, with her cell phone in hand. "My parents are okay!" she cried with relief.

Tucker came in with the same look of happiness on his face confirming that his parents were fine as well. "Hurry up!" he yelled, "There's something on the TV about it!"

They all ran to the TV to see what was going on. The bottom of the screen read 'Live! From Jump City' as a familiar reporter composed herself before beginning her report.

"This Harriet Chin reporting live from Jump City, as the world is still reeling from the near end of life as we know it! If you confused on what just happened last night, stay tuned as we interview the now world famous Teen Titans as talk about how they stopped a massive demonic invasion from taking over the world!"

"You see, Danny? It wasn't ghosts after all!" Tucker exclaimed as he patted his best friends shoulder. Danny hardly registered it as he starred at the screen as they began to interview the Titans on their defeat of some demon named Trigon.

Though he was happy his family and his friends were ok, he couldn't help feel … helpless. He wasn't able to anything for them. The last time he felt this helpless was at the Nasty Burger incident, when he thought he had lost his family in the explosion. He looked down at his hands. He saw them shake. He didn't hear his sister call out his name, or when Sam and Tucker rushed to him as he collapsed to the ground. The last thing he heard before he slipped into a shock-induced unconsciousness was a voice, his voice saying he wasn't strong enough…

**AN: Special thank you goes out to 2 of best: Me the Anon One and Golden Lunar Eclipse. Not only did they take the time to give me a few tips on Fanfic writing, they actually let me bounce my ideas off of them. Nonny even proof read the prologue! Thanks a lot. I hope I do not disappoint you, sensei's bows **

**Chapter 1 will be up hopefully next week. Please leave your comments! Thanks for reading!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	2. Chapter 1: Everything Changes

**Update 05/26/09: This chapter has been given a fresh coat of paint. Enjoy the newly updated and proofread version**

**Author's Notes: Thanks everyone for the comments. I'm happy the prologue was well received. Hope this story entertains a few people. Sorry it took so long for chapter 1. Things got busy and I actually couldn't think of how to start the chapter. Got some great angst in store for you. Bwahahaha.**

**Special thanks to 'Me the Anon One' who helped me with editorial duties and beta reading. Make sure you read her story Disclosures after you read this one. :p

* * *

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Chapter 1: Everything Changes

1 Year Later

Jump City: 7:00am

The sun rose over Jump City skyline, signaling a new day for its many occupants. With the dawn, the signs of life began stir as the citizens began to prepare for the day. The city's adults started their journeys to work and slowly filled the streets with traffic, while the kids held in their joy for ending another grueling year of school.

In the bay, off the shore, was an island that held one of the city's most important landmarks: a tower in the shape of a giant T. In this tower lived five extraordinary teens, whose job was to protect the city from crime, destruction or whatever dangers threatened their city. They were known as the Teen Titans.

The leader of the Titans, Robin, had just woken from a good night's rest, thanks to the recent downturn in crime. The city had actually been quiet for a change, so all of the Titans were able to get some much needed R&R without the threat of being awoken by their sophisticated crime detection system.

The young hero finished putting on his signature red, green and black costume, and was headed to the training room for some morning training, when he was stopped by a pleasing aroma in the air. He smiled when he recognized the smell: pancakes.

Cyborg, the tech expert and muscle of the team, was known in the tower for his big breakfasts, which normally included his world famous (or tower famous anyway), buttermilk pancakes. Robin suspected the smell meant his second in command was cooking up a big morning meal for the team. With his thoughts of training forgotten and his stomach growling, Robin made his way down the corridor to the kitchen.

"Robin!" yelled someone from behind.

Robin could recognize that voice anywhere. He turned around and found himself being tackled by fellow teammate and girlfriend, Starfire. The alien girl from Tamaran had a big smile on her face as she hugged her boyfriend, and gave him a big kiss on his cheek.

"Good morning to you too, Star," Robin as he struggled in the girl's strong embrace. Despite her appearance, she was many times stronger than he was.

"And what a glorious morning it is," Starfire beamed, finally letting go. Robin smiled. He always loved how she was so cheerful and happy about life. He wrapped his arm around her waist as they continued to walk toward the kitchen.

"Looks like Cyborg is making breakfast again," Robin said.

"Oh, yes! I do enjoy when he cooks the breaking of fast in the morning." Star replied, ready to eat the big meal Cyborg had prepared. "I do hope we have enough mustard for this morning."

Robin hid a silent chuckle. Starfire's choice in food was always very interesting, especially her love of the yellow liquid known as mustard.

As they continued their way to the source of the delicious smell, they bumped into Beast Boy. The green shape shifter still was rubbing the sleep out his eyes.

"Morning, love birds," the jade trickster teased. Despite the sleep still in his eyes, he gave his trademark grin at the two. Robin glared at him, and slightly blushed. He didn't necessarily like the attention over his relationship with Starfire.

"And a glorious morning to you, Beast Boy! Have you slept well?" asked the still cheerful Starfire.

"Still am," Beast Boy replied, which was followed by a yawn. "But that awesome smell woke me up. Hope Cy made some non-lactose pancakes for me."

They all arrived at the door of the living room/ops center/kitchen. Beast Boy turned around to face Robin and Starfire.

"Alright boys and girls! Are you ready to fill your stomachs and bust your guts with the famous chef Cyborg's breakfast of champions?" he asked, mimicking an announcer from a TV show.

"Let's eat!" announced a voice from behind them. They all turned to find Cyborg standing, with a big grin on his face.

Their stunned gazes alternated back and forth between the still closed door and Cyborg, who was still sporting his grin.

"Wait a sec. If you're not cooking breakfast and none of us are, that means-," Beast boy stopped as his eyes bugged out over the implications of the situation.

Beast Boy, Starfire and Robin all ran through the door and looked into the cooking area. There stood a familiar cloaked figure whose back turned toward them and whose blue head of hair was adorn with a white chef's hat. The mystery cook turned around to reveal the fifth Titan, Raven, who was wearing Cyborg's signature "Kiss the Chef" apron. In her hand was a spatula, which she had been using to flip the hotcakes. Realizing her friends were all there, she put on a nervous grin.

"Surprise," she exclaimed warily, knowing what was coming next.

Beast Boy and Robin just stood there, their jaws hanging open. Memories came flooding back from last year when Raven had tried to cook breakfast for them with less than edible results. Remembering how nauseous the experience was, they slowly began backing away from the kitchen till they both bumped into something. They turned around to see Cyborg with a serious look on his face, but with a playful glint in his eye.

"Now where do you think you're going?" Cy asked in amusement.

"Uhhhh, I just remembered I have some training to do this morning," Robin replied quickly, looking for an excuse, any excuse. "And some research on…. crime reports! That's it!"

"And I got to go clean up my room," said Beast Boy hastily. He never cleaned his room, but was willing to do so to get out of breakfast.

"Not so fast you guys. Don't you want breakfast?" asked Cyborg innocently, pushing the two back toward the kitchen table.

"That's ok. I'm on a diet," Beast Boy responded weakly. Raven raised her eyebrows and couldn't help but smirk. Starfire, who actually liked Raven's cooking from last year, was overjoyed.

"How can you be on a diet? You're skinny as it is," Raven quipped sarcastically.

Robin and Beast Boy sat down defeated. They then realized something about the pancakes Raven was currently flipping; they actually looked normal. The monstrosities they remembered were burnt, runny and sticky, but these actually looked edible. They stared in awe as Raven flipped them expertly until they were golden brown, and then piled them onto a plate.

"Wait a sec. When did you learn how to..." Beast Boy began, but then stopped himself; realizing finishing the sentence might not be a good idea.

"Learn how to cook?" Raven finished the changeling's question. She smirked again, a sight Beast Boy still wasn't quite used to. "I had a good teacher."

"You have done well, my student," said Cyborg in a cheesy Chinese accent as he bowed toward Raven. Raven smiled at Cyborg's antics and returned a mock bow back to him. The other three Titans were once again shocked that Raven was willing to ask someone for help. She normally was someone who would rather do something herself.

"So, what's the special occasion?" asked Robin.

"The world isn't ending again, is it?" asked Beast Boy jokingly, which earned him a glare from Robin and Cyborg.

Raven gaze wandered from her friends to the food she had prepared for them. "I just wanted to thank you guys," she replied. "I've been so lucky to have you guys as friends."

"Oh, friend Raven!" Starfire squealed as she flew over and hugged her fellow Titan. "It is us who should be truly thankful for having you here." The others smiled, voicing similar sentiments. Last year had been a tough year for them all, and they were happy they were able to survive through it.

Raven began serving up their breakfast. She gave Cyborg a large stack of blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs and sausage. He began to drool and then dug in. To Robin, she gave chocolate chip (his favorite), and a glass of orange juice. Beast Boy got a plate of soymilk pancakes. His eyes became as big as saucers as he thanked Raven for respecting his vegetarian beliefs.

She then came to Starfire, who had a strange look on her face.

"Friend Raven, I am happy you have learned the cooking, but I wondering if..." she began to ask until Raven interrupted her.

"Already way ahead of you, Star," Raven replied, revealing a plate to Starfire. On it were pancakes similar to the one she made last year, in all their burnt, runny glory. Starfire squealed with delight.

"You have made them how I remembered them," she said, and then with a fork in one hand and a bottle of mustard in the other, she began to slather the malformed food in yellow liquid. The other titans only stared, thankful to have been served something more palatable. .

Raven turned off the stove, poured herself a cup of tea, and sat down at the table to sip her beverage. She looked around at all her friends as they ate her cooking, which they all thought was delicious. She soaked in all the sights and sounds like a sponge happy that she was able to share this moment with them.

After her breakfast, Raven decided to head to her room for some meditation. Her teammates volunteered to clean the kitchen area as thanks for the meal, and once she left the room, the other Titans huddled together at the kitchen table.

"You know, no matter how many times I see it, I'll never get used to it," said Beast Boy.

"What do you mean, friend Beast Boy?" asked Starfire.

"Raven smiling! She used to be Ms. Doom and Gloom. Now she's all smiles. It's so weird," answered the green titan.

"She sure is different now. Though I definitely like the new her," Cyborg chimed in.

"Do you blame her for being happy? She's got a whole new lease on life now. She doesn't have to worry about the curse anymore," said Robin. Out of all the titans, he was probably the one who was closest to Raven. During her ordeal last year with Trigon, he had made her realize she had a life beyond the prophecy that had once plagued her existence.

Robin's expression became serious as he looked around at the other members of his team. "All right, we got a lot of work and preparations to make. Everybody knows what to do today?" Robin asked the group. They all nodded in agreement.

"I am to do the distracting of Raven today," Star stated.

"Cy and me are headed out the buy the decorations later today," explained Beast Boy.

"And my special all new 10-layer ice cream upside down cake recipe has been perfected and is ready to bake!" Cyborg proudly declared. "It's going to be 3 times better than last year's cake."

"Good, then I don't I need to remind you all of this has to be kept under wraps. We don't want Raven finding out before the big day tomorrow," their leader explained. "We'll meet together here at 2200 hours." They all nodded in agreement.

"Operation Birthday Bash is a go!"

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Amity Park, 12:30pm

Sam Manson sighed for the tenth time that day, as she sat next to Tucker Foley during an assembly at Casper High. It was their last day of sophomore year before summer vacation and the school was giving them one last lesson about summer and ghost safety. The kids were excited about the next two months of freedom, and many were planning summer trips and visits to the beach. Unfortunately, vacation was the last thing on the minds of Sam and Tucker.

Sam looked worriedly a couple of rows in front of them. Sitting there was their friend, Danny Fenton, or their former friend; they weren't sure anymore.

It had all began at the end of summer last year at the beginning of their sophomore year at Casper High. They hadn't seen much of Danny after his mental breakdown. Much to Jazz's chagrin, Danny had sworn them to secrecy about the whole ordeal. He didn't want his parents worrying about him. Sam also figured that he was pretty embarrassed about collapsing that day. Jazz wanted him to at least talk to her, but he remained very tightlipped about it.

Sam and Tuck hadn't seen Danny for about two weeks after that. They were pretty worried about their friend, but Jazz told them he wanted to be alone. Sam tried to ease her own worries, thinking that Danny would bounce back to his normal self by the time school started. So when classes did begin again, they were happy to see Danny. Unfortunately, things didn't go back to normal.

Danny had become even more reclusive. Though he hung out with them, he hardly spoke a word, especially about ghost hunting. Whenever they tried to ask him about anything ghost related, he either quickly changed the subject, or just didn't respond at all. Whenever a ghost did show up, he'd disappear to take care of it before they even noticed.

Sam noticed the bruises that appeared frequently on Danny. Though they knew Danny was prone to injury due to his ghost hunting, the fact that he never talked about it had worried her even more. He never said a word about how he received his injuries, or whether it was ghost related, or anything else entirely. Along with the injuries, however, came muscles. Danny seemed to have lost his scrawny physique overnight.

As the year went on, Danny's friends saw less and less of him. He'd disappear in between classes before they could even catch up to him and during lunchtime he was nowhere to be found. He'd often make up excuses whenever they asked him to hang out, saying he was too busy, though never explaining with what. It was becoming more and more obvious that he was trying to avoid them.

They both questioned Jazz about the changes in Danny, but unfortunately, she was even more clueless than they were. She tried constantly to get her brother to open up, but was met the silent treatment. Jazz wanted to do more to try to help her brother, but preparation for her upcoming freshman year at college had eaten up most of her time.

So finally, they decided to confront him. Sam and Tucker observed him carefully from the back rows, hoping they would be able to catch him before he performed one of his disappearing tricks again. The assembly finally ended, and the student body, now free from the shackles of school for the next two months, eagerly made their way to the exits. The pair quickly made their way through the crowd following their elusive friend.

Danny was almost out the door of the school when he heard someone call out his name.

"Danny!" Tucker called out, causing the halfa to come to a halt and turn to face him.

Sam had a worried look on her face. She found herself speechless as the questions she wanted to ask froze on her tongue. Luckily for her, Tucker had plenty to say.

"We need to talk, dude," Tucker stated matter of factly.

Danny sighed, like he was expecting this moment to come.

"What the heck is going on with you, man? We never see you anymore!" Tucker began.

"Everything is fine. There's nothing to worry about," said Danny, saying more now than he had the entire year.

"No, it's not alright," Sam exclaimed, her anger ignited by his simple dismissal of the situation. "We've been worried sick about you! You don't talk with us, and you don't hang out with us. You don't even let us help you with your 'hobby'. What is your problem?" She was now trying very hard to hold back her tears.

Danny looked down to the ground, no longer able to look his friends in the eye. He sighed again, as though was deciding something. He finally looked at them. "You guys just can't take a hint, can you?" he asked coldly.

"What?" Sam asked, not quite believing what she heard.

"I said you guys can't take a hint. Maybe I'm happier fighting alone. Maybe I'm sick and tired of babysitting you all the time. Maybe I'm sick and tired of you!" he shot back. Tucker and Sam were in shock as they listened to Danny's tirade. A look of betrayal and rage flashed across Tucker's face. He quickly closed the gap between him and Danny, grabbing his shirt bringing him face-to-face.

"You fucking dick! We've been worried sick. Sam has been worried sick! And this is how you thank us?" Tucker vehemently spat at Danny.

"No one asked you to care. I can take care of it all on my own. I don't need you. I don't need anyone else," Danny replied viciously. The temperature around them seemed to drop several degrees. A crowd of students began forming around the three, though not a word was spoken among them as they watched the events unfold.

"Do yourself a favor. Get yourself some new friends," Danny said as he pushed Tucker away from him. He turned around and began to walk away. Tucker couldn't contain his anger any longer. He clenched his fist; he walked toward Danny, raised his fist and pulled it back, ready to deck him.

Everyone gasped at what happened next. Without even looking, the halfa easily dodged the punch. He then grabbed Tucker's fist, which was still in motion, and expertly flipped the techno geek onto his back.

Tuck hit the floor hard, catching the breath that was knocked out of him and wondering when the heck Danny had gotten so fast. As he tried to compose himself, he heard a loud slap echo within the immediate area.

Danny now wore a large red mark on his face where Sam slapped him. She could no longer hold back her tears as they began to fall from her face. She just looked at him, not sure who he was any more. She knelt and helped the still dazed Tucker from the ground.

"You're a fucking jerk," she said simply and then walked away. Tucker followed behind her without a backward glance.

And that was it. Every spectator who had watched the fight unfold was speechless; not even the sharp tongues of the A-list had anything to say.

Danny just shrugged, and walked through the crowd. As he made his way onto the sidewalk he once again heard his name being called. He turned around and was suddenly face to face with his sister, Jazz.

Jazz was there to pick her brother up from school, hoping to have a brother/sister moment on their way home, but instead witnessed the confrontation he had with his friends. Danny had expected her to be as angry as Tucker or sad like Sam, but the look on her face told him something different; Disappointment.

"Why?" was all she asked. He simply looked back at her, and then tried to walk around her car.

"Why, Danny?" she asked again. She was sick of playing nice. The kind therapist mask she normally wore melted away and was replaced with the look of a very agitated sister.

"I had to," he simply replied.

"Danny, you just threw away the most important thing you had going for you! What the heck was going through your head?" she yelled, looking into his eyes, trying to read his expression.

He looked back at her, his face devoid of any emotion. He averted his eyes from her piercing gaze, feeling very uncomfortable.

"I did it for their own good," he replied, as if that was the only reason he needed to give and he tried to retreat once again.

"Is that it? Is that all you can say? You think you can take on the whole ghost zone by yourself?" she asked.

"Like I told them, I can do it by myself," he said defensively.

"Danny, don't you see we want to help you? You can't handle the ghost hunting on your own. No one can take that stress, that burden," Jazz told him.

"I have to!" he said, yelling without realizing it. "Every time one of you tags along, you are in harm's way. The closer you are to me, the more danger you are in!"

"So you are protecting them by hurting them? What kind of twisted logic is that?" she asked.

"Better to be hurt by me and alive than to get hurt or worse," Danny answered his sister.

"But we chose this! We have chose to put ourselves in danger to help you," she shot back.

"It's not your fight!" he said, his temper flaring. "It's mine. I'm the freaky kid with freaky powers. I'm the one who can fight them. It's my responsibility. If I lost you or Tucker or Sam…" His voice softened, "I can't take that risk. I can't take that burden."

"And taking the burden of fighting every ghost out there is so much better," she spat sarcastically.

"I don't have time for this," he said, no longer willing to listen anymore. "I'm walking home. Don't follow me. And let me handle the ghosts."

"Danny! Daniel James Fenton, you come back here this instant!" Jazz yelled, sounding very much like their mother. He ignored her cries and continued to walk. She looked on, no longer knowing what to do. She wanted to help him realize that what he was doing wasn't helping, but she knew time was running out; Jazz had just graduated from Casper High and in two months would be moving away from Amity Park to go to college.

She felt worry overtake her as she realized that all too soon she wasn't going to be able to watch over her brother like she always did. She feared that his current outlook was going to get him seriously hurt, or worse.

She sighed. This was going to be a long summer.

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**A/N: Now for the Credits. Thanks to: Shiva the Sarcastic, Sparky the Wonder Weasel, The Bushranger, LanHikari2000x, I LOVE SORA AND DANNY, Yue-neko, Diamond Raider, Shewhodanceswithdragons, and rikulover101 for your kind words and support. Special thanks to Me the Anon One for Beta-reading and for inspiration. Thanks for the reviews and keep on reading!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	3. Chapter 2: Broken Reflections

**5/28/09 Update: Fresh coat of paint on this chapter for the new readers, as well as a few fixes in minor details.**

**Author's Notes: I thank you all for your patience. I'm really sorry for the month long delay in getting this chapter out. I just started classes again and had to get used to school and work. I also had a bad fit of writer's block. I thank all of you who are still interested in the story and for keeping up to date. I hope not to disappoint. This one doesn't have any action yet, just some inner monologuing with Danny and one of the Titans. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know if you got any questions or complaints. Thank you's after the story.

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Chapter 2: Broken Reflections

Fifty-Five

Fifty-Six

Fifty-Seven…

Danny counted silently as he executed his sit-ups in rapid succession. After his altercation with Sam, Tucker and Jazz, he had headed straight home, his mind still abuzz with that day's events. He had felt the need to clear his head and the easiest way he knew how was to train. With his parents noticeably absent from the house, he had changed into a t-shirt and sweatpants and began his usual routine. Unfortunately, this did little to calm his turbulent mind.

The halfa stopped halfway into a sit-up and sighed, thinking back on whether he made the right choice. Anger, betrayal, confusion; the emotions that had been worn by the faces of his friends and sister were still fresh in his mind. He shook his head, hoping to scare away the images that haunted his mind, but they remained, appearing even as he shut his eyes in frustration.

Danny wished he could explain it to them the reason he had acted so cold, but in the end he knew that it was better this way. Like he had told Jazz, the farther they distanced themselves from him, the safer they would be in the long run. He knew how resilient Tucker and Sam were; they would soon forget about him and move on with their lives.

Danny thought back to that fateful day almost two years ago; the day that altered his life forever. One push of a button was all it took to change him from a goofy teenage boy into a hero, the ghost-boy Danny Phantom. If he had known of the weight that had haunted him from that day, he would have never walked into the unactivated ghost portal. What had started out as "cool powers" quickly grew into a responsibility that latched onto him and would not let go. It was his job to keep his town safe from ghosts, to keep the specters in line, to protect his loved ones, friends, and family.

Though he made it through life merely by surviving, it wasn't until the incident last year where he realized one thing: he wasn't strong enough.

He remembered how helpless he felt when found his parents in the kitchen that day, frozen in stone and his city in ruins. Though finding out it had nothing to do with him or Amity Park should have brought him relief, he felt even more helpless than before. He had all this power given to him and he couldn't do a thing to help anyone.

This wasn't the first time he had felt this way, however, as memories of his fight with the twisted future version of himself came into focus in his mind. Even though he had barely managed to defeat that Dark Phantom, it wasn't enough to save them. He remembered the waves of heat licking his face as he watched his family and friends engulfed in a lethal fireball. If it wasn't for the intervention of Clockwork, the ghost master of time, they would have been lost forever.

Danny thought of all the times he had won by pure dumb luck or with help from his friends and allies. How he had managed to hold back and outsmart Vlad Master, aka Vlad Plasmius, still baffled him. And he had only been able to defeat Pariah Dark the ghost king with his parent's Ectosuit; and even then, he wasn't able to stop his other enemies from taking advantage of the situation. Time and time again he had barely made it by the skin of his teeth and the event with Trigon had made him realize that luck wasn't always going to be on his side. So he began to train in order to become stronger.

After his collapse, he scrounged up all he remembered from gym class in school and started a training regimen. He knew from his first year of experience that his ghost form and human form was connected, so he began with training his human side. Sit-ups, push-ups, and running were now a part of his new routine. Finding he needed more, he researched weight training and what money he had in his possession went into the purchase of weights and other exercise equipment. Though the ghost boy saw some improvement, he grew impatient with his progress; he knew that he needed to become even better both in speed and strength. So the halfa swallowed his pride and turned to the one person that could help: his mother.

Danny's mother Maddie, being a ninth degree black belt was well versed in the martial arts, so to him she was the most logical choice to ask for training. He had been quite surprised she agreed after he told her he wanted to get into better shape (which wasn't so far from the truth. He assumed the reason she was so eager and enthusiastic was because it seemed her son was finally showing some interest in her line of work (also not too far off from true).

They started almost immediately the next day as she began teaching him basic stances and then later moved on to basic moves, such as punches, kicks and blocks. Everything he had learned from his lessons he applied to his personal training sessions and on his nightly ghost patrols. He soon found that ghosts that were once a challenge for him in the past were becoming easier and easier to beat.

Physical improvement wasn't the only thing he focused on; he also wanted to get a mental advantage over his enemies. When he wasn't training or on patrol, he increased his knowledge of the paranormal by borrowing books from his parents' personal collection, consisting of all sorts of manuals and reference books related to ghosts, ghouls and specters. He would often times compare what were in the texts with what he had gathered from his own experiences, finding that he knew quite a bit more than they did in some aspects. He did, however, find nuggets of knowledge that were new to him,

His studying actually had an unexpected side effect: many of the study skills he learned transferred over to his schoolwork. His grades, which were abysmal the last year steadily increased once he got back to school. Many of his teachers, Mr. Lancer in particular, were surprised at his sudden change, though his random disappearances still irked the faculty.

Though he though his skills had grown, he still felt it wasn't enough; that he wasn't enough. The memory of his parents frozen in stone still haunted him, and he used that as fuel to push himself to his limits and beyond. The more danger he saw, the more he realized that his powers were like a double-edged sword. His abilities helped him protect his friends and family, but at the same time it was his powers that put them in jeopardy in the first place. Ghosts were drawn to the halfa like a moth to a flame, constantly challenging his claim as protector of the city, often putting his friends in the crossfire.

When school started again in the fall, Danny decided to keep Sam and Tucker out of his ghost hunting, though he knew how difficult of a task that would be, considering how eager both of them were to help him. Whenever a ghost would appear, he'd disappear before either of them noticed to deal with it and he avoided talking about ghosts whenever they mentioned or asked about the subject. They were obviously worried about him, but he'd always play it off, saying he was fine. They became more and more insistent until he just found it easier to avoid them. He stopped talking to them at school and they never saw him outside of school, except for a fleeting sighting here and there of the ghost boy.

He knew he was upsetting them, but he had no choice. The further away from him they were, the safer they were. He eventually knew that avoiding them wouldn't be enough; that they'd sooner or later confront him. Danny wished he could explain why he was doing what he was doing, but he knew they wouldn't understand. The more he thought about it, the more one solution made more sense: he had to push them away.

He knew that they probably would hate him for doing what he did; he hated himself for doing it. But it was the only way; he just cared for them too much. Being near him would only get them killed. It was better them hating him than having their deaths on his conscience, wasn't it?

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Jump City

Late Afternoon

Making a swooshing sound, the doors of Raven's room opened, allowing the exhausted sorceress to enter. Starfire had decided to drag her to the mall for shopping and the "bonding of friends", which was always an arduous experience to say the least. Star was particularly enthusiastic today, literally floating from shop to shop, making her way to almost everyone in the mall, with Raven in tow.

Raven allowed her fatigued body to fall onto her bed, too tired to even meditate, though it wasn't as necessary as it was in the past. She lay there silently and allowed her gaze to stray from the ceiling to the calendar that hung from one of her walls. The next day was circled with red permanent marker: it was her seventeenth birthday.

She sighed and thought back to before she even thought to celebrate her birthday, when it brought her nothing but dread and despair. The very thought of the day used to leave her locked in her room, hoping that it would end.

Her life before had been anything but normal, considering she had grown up in Azarath, a city that lay in another dimension apart from that of Earth. It was a safe haven for all those who wanted to live in peace and prosperity where magic and enlightenment were a ways of life. Though she had lived there for most of her existence, she had never seen much of the city; most of her time had been spent at the main temple of Azar, isolated from the outside world. The only human contact she had was with the head mages that protected and lead the city, who trained her in the ways of the magical arts. Even contact with her own mother had been limited, since she was an important official and rarely had time to visit.

Everyday Raven had been tutored and taught to control her abilities. Her telekinetic powers were directly linked to her emotions, so it was constantly stressed that she control and suppress them. The mages gave her rigorous training exercises that though helped her gain control, leaving her nearly emotionless. Between her sessions you could find her hidden in library under the complex, reading one of the various books and manuscripts. Without any children to play with, she favored the written word over people any day, the smell of old musty pages always welcoming her back like an old friend.

Even at a young age, Raven was aware of her unofficial status of an outcast. She was only let out of the Temple only on rare occasions and everyone acted cautiously around her, even her own mother, who kept her at arm's length emotionally. And then there was the way the people of the city would look at her and the quiet whispers amongst the mages that ceased whenever she was near. It wasn't hard for an empath such as herself to pick up on these types of things: some of them felt disgust towards her while others anger. The one that distressed her the most was the most common: fear.

Raven never really did anything on her birthday, for celebrating any form of celebration normally involved extreme emotion, which the mages were trying to avoid. That of course changed on her fourteenth birthday. The mages had decided she was old enough to tell her the truth about her origin: that her father, her real father, was one of the most feared beings in the galaxy.

Trigon the Terrible was a name feared throughout the universe and across multiple dimensions. He's conquered many civilizations and destroyed countless others that have defied him; wherever he went, destruction and terror followed. For hundreds of years he roamed free to do as he pleased until finally one-century prior he was banished to a pocket dimension by the mages of Azar of that time. He's been imprisoned there ever since up until thirteen years ago, when his followers was able to temporarily bring him back to normal reality. It was then where he chose and impregnated a young woman named Angela Roth, Raven's mother. They then told Raven of the prophecy that told of her fate: that she was the one that would bring him back to their reality. She was the portal: his foothold into the domination of their universe. And it was to happen on her sixteenth birthday.

Raven could only stare in horror as they explained who and what she was. She could feel all her training, all her control leave her as she felt a wave of emotions sweep through her like a raging torrent. Fear, confusion, pain and disgust all made their way through her mind. She tried to hold it back but they slipped through her hands like water through a net. Cracks began to form in the pillars of the building as her powers gained a mind of their own and black waves of energy spread though the floor and crackled through the air as doubt filled her mind. She didn't want to be evil or to cause any pain, any destruction. But unfortunately for her, fate had played a different hand. In the end, it was the embrace of her mother that finally calmed her down. Tears fell from her eyes as she passed out in her mother's arms.

When she woke up, she realized things could never be the same. Her display of power only enforced the fear in both mages and herself and made her realize just how powerful and dangerous she really was. She tried desperately to shut out her fears, her pain, and her emotions by throwing herself into her training and meditation. She didn't want to feel because feeling would lead to her hurting others (and herself). But it wasn't enough. The fear was still there, under all the calm, just waiting to surface; fear she would destroy, that she was nothing more than a tool for her father. That she would hurt her city and be its downfall. So she did the only thing that made sense to the mind of a teenager: she ran away.

She had found a teleportation spell that would take her away from Azarath. Anywhere, it didn't matter, as long as she was away from the stares and the whispers. Once she found enough ingredients and courage, she whispered her final goodbyes under her cloak and was whisked away in the dead of night.

She arrived at a city unfamiliar to her that seemed to be in a constant state of unrest, unlike the perpetual calm of her former home. She could feel the minds of the city bustling around, people going about their business. It was noisy, both audibly and mentally, but at least they weren't staring at her. They didn't know who or what she was. The name of the City was Jump, on a quaint little planet known as Earth, a place she only read about.

Of course, fate once again had a way of intervening; that night her life would intersect and entwine with the lives of four others. They were all different: The noble detective Robin, the laidback Cyborg, Beast Boy the jokester and the always-exuberant Starfire. They all had something that made them unique among other people. And yet all shared the same goal: they wanted to protect the city. Eventually they teamed up and formed the team known as the Teen Titans.

Raven never quite understood what brought them together; let alone why she have joined them. She just knew that they were doing the opposite of what she was destined to do. Help instead of hurt, building instead of destroying. They were making a difference. Though she tried to isolate herself from the rest of her teammates, somehow she found herself bonding one way or another with all of them. As the next two years rolled by they became more than just teammates, more than even friends: they were family.

But even with that, she always kept her past hidden from them, afraid of what they might think if they truly knew what her future held. She hoped what she was doing was enough to atone for what she might do in the future, though in the back of her mind she knew it probably wasn't. She hoped that somehow, someway she would be able to run away from that fate. So when that day, her sixteenth birthday, finally did come, she locked herself in her room, hoping the day, and her destiny, would pass her by.

Her father had other plans for her, however. Trigon, wanting to secure his return to the mortal realm, chose a representative to deliver a message to his daughter. Slade was one the Titans most cunning and dangerous foes who had died in a decisive battle against the heroes months ago. But things like death meant nothing to Trigon. He raised Slade from the dead, supplied the assassin with an array of supernatural abilities sent him to remind his daughter of one thing: that the prophecy will be fulfilled and she would be the doorway to the world's destruction.

Eventually she had to tell the other Titans the truth about her past and her legacy, knowing she owed them that much, even it meant risking them rejecting her. They didn't shun her like she thought; quite the contrary: they wanted to help her. They held onto hope even when her own hope was failing. She realized that she couldn't let her friends, her new family sacrifice themselves to protect her. Trigon was too powerful to be stopped and his will was too strong for her to resist. So when the day of his coming arrived, she stopped running away and gave in. The others could only watch in horror as she accepted her fate and became the key to her father's ascension.

After that was a blur to her. All she could remember was being lost underneath the city, alone amongst the ruble. She couldn't remember who she was, only bits and pieces of her memory floated in her mind. She wandered aimlessly until someone found her: Robin. She was afraid at first, not remembering who he was but she knew somehow he was a friend, someone she could trust. He helped her find her way back to the surface to the other Titans, whom even after everything that had happened kept fighting against Trigon, knowing there was no chance of winning. They defied the towering giant, who only saw them as insignificant pests. Raven saw how her friends still pressed on, despite the odds, despite their enemy and in the end it was their courage that inspired her to fight back. Her memories returned to her as she made a final stand against the demon that was her father.

And she won.

Though the others were amazed at her display of power, but she knew that it was their strength that saved them all. Their courage and hope was what encouraged her and helped her to win and thanks to them she was now free.

Now almost one year later she marveled at all that's changed. She never would have thought she'd live past her sixteenth birthday and now she had her whole life ahead of her. She was free to live her life helping people and saving lives. She was now also free to feel. Over the past couple of months she has been more open with her feelings. Where there once was a scowl or a look of indifference was now a small smile (or an annoyed look when it came to dealing with Beast Boy). Her birthday was no longer a curse to her: it was a blessing she was ready and willing to celebrate with her friends.

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Jump City, Warehouse District

7:30pm

They say crime never sleeps and the city of Jump it was no different. Eight shady figures lurked towards their target on the east side of the warehouse district. There had been rumors of a shipment of artifacts and treasures come in the night before for storage to be delivered the next morning to the Jump City Metropolitan Museum and Malone and his crew were ready and willing to take the artifacts off the museum's hands. Malone had an inside man who worked at the warehouse who would let his men in. It was the perfect time for them to strike.

They all knew they had to work fast: not only did they have to worry about the police showing up, but the Teen Titans as well. Lucky for them, they knew where their target was located and they had a plan. There was a truck ready to load and drive off in a hurry if need be and they made sure the schematics to the building were committed to memory. It was an in and out job: easy money.

They made their way to the side entrance, which was conveniently left open to them by Bobby, their guy on the inside. Two men stayed at the door to keep watch while the others silently made their way to the goods, each gripping a laser rifles and ready for anything. Everything was going perfectly until all hell broke loose.

The first thing noticed was the eerie glow coming from the doorway of the room they were supposed to hit. Malone motioned his men to stop, and then ordered Drake, his right hand man, to take a peak. Drake crept to the doorway, and then ducked his head in to see. He was quiet for a few seconds, until he suddenly replied on his radio.

"Boss, I think you need to see this!" he exclaimed nervously.

Malone ordered all his men to follow him to the large doorway. They all stopped at the threshold, their tongues tied and their eyes wide in awe at the site in front of them.

Every single box in the room was floating high above; each one seemed to be surrounded by a mysterious blue energy. Afloat amongst the boxes was an overweight man with blue skin covered painted with ethereal tattoos. He was dressed like one of the workers there, wearing a shirt, overalls and a skullcap. They watched as his hands seemed to go right through each container, as he was looking for something inside each.

Suddenly, the strange floating figure noticed that he had company and turned towards his new prey with a sinister grin plastered on his face. His eyes were on fire with an ominous orange glow. Malone's men backed up, realizing they were in danger. The floating man uttered one word that sent shivers up their spines.

"Beware…"

Outside the warehouse, screams could be heard.

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**Thank You's: Special Thanks to Me the Anon One. She's been a big help in terms of encouragement and proofreading my story. If I can only write as half as good as her, I'd have done my job well.**

**I'd also like to thank all who've reviewed the lat chapter:Nonasuki-chan, Rea the goth Phantom, HiddenAuthor, rikulover101, Mako-Magic, Diamond Raider, Tetsukon, Kradeiz, teenyugiohpotterphantom, Sparky the Wonder Weasel, Shiva the Sarcastic, Shewhodanceswithdragons. Thank you for the kind words. All shall be revealed soon. Maybe.**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	4. Chapter 3: Boxed In

**6/8/09 update: Fresh coat of paint applied.  
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**Author's Note: Thanks to all who sent in their reviews last chapter. I was REALLY lucky enough to get this next one done a lot sooner than the last one. Hopefully this will become a trend. To answer one question that was asked: was the mystery ghost the Box Ghost? Hmmm... Read and find out!**

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Chapter 3: Boxed In

"Danny…"

The halfa woke up with a start to sound of his name being called. Danny's eyes slowly adjusted to the sunlight that was blaring in through his window. He looked around his room, wondering what it was that woke him up. He yawned, slowly getting out of bed as he got ready for another day. He was about to begin stretching when he heard it again.

"Danny…" the voice rang out again. Danny was fully alert now, looking around his room for any possible dangers. His ghost sense wasn't going off at all, but her felt the hair on his neck stand on end. "Why, Danny?" the voice asked. Danny finally realized whose voice it was.

"I hope you have a good reason to annoy me, Jazz," he started as he opened his bedroom door, expecting his sister to be on the other side, only to find a desolate hallway. He scratched the back of his head, wondering if he was imagining things; he had been on edge lately. He made his way to her bedroom door; ready to knock when he heard it again.

"Danny!" Jazz's voice cried out sounding frantic and afraid. Not thinking twice, he phased through the door to find nothing but an empty room and bed. Looking around to make sure everything was all right, Danny couldn't find any signs of a struggle or foul play. He sighed and walked out to the hallway again wondering where his sister was this morning.

"Probably downstairs drinking coffee," he thought to himself. The last thing he wanted was another confrontation with her but his stomach was telling him he needed food, so he dared to venture down to the kitchen.

"Danny! Help!" another voice exclaimed, this time his mother's sounding like it was coming from downstairs. He dashed down the steps, taking two at a time. He finally made it down to the living room and headed towards the kitchen. He barged in, slightly out of breath and paused as his eyes went wide and he uttered one word.

"No," he whispered silently. His parents and his sister were standing there, frozen in stone. "NO!" he said, yelling this time. "Not again!" He slammed his fists onto the kitchen table, denting it slightly. He looked away, finding the sight of their condition difficult to look at. His fist hit the table again with a loud thud.

"Danny…" Jazz's voice wailed once again. Danny looked up hopefully. What he saw made him gasp and step back. All three statues were staring at him. Their eyes were filled with sad misery. "Danny, why?" asked she wailed again. Danny took a step back again, unable to speak.

"Why what," he asked meekly. But he had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"Why, Danny? Why couldn't you protect us," Maddie Fenton asked as her face distorted, almost in agony. Cracks began forming along her face as her lips and face moved.

"Why?" Jack moaned. "Why couldn't help us?"

Danny took another step back in fear. As he did so, all 3 statues tried to reach out for him. Unfortunately, stone wasn't made for bending and cracks immediately formed on their bodies, beginning at their joints and quickly spreading. He watched in horror their bodies just broke apart piece by piece. Fingers, then limbs disintegrated until finally there was nothing but 3 piles of rubble. Danny looked down at the remains of his family and ran as fast as he could out the front door.

He didn't make it that far. In front of house were the statues of hundreds of people, teachers, classmates, people he saw every day. Even Sam and Tucker were there, petrified in place, all staring at him.

"Danny! Help us!" they called out in unison, over and over like a mantra. They all tried to reach out for him, but all met with the same results: each one of them began to crumble as they tried to move.

"No!" he called out, retreating from their cries. He failed all of them again and there was nothing he could do, nothing he could say that could help them. Tears fell from his eyes as he sank down to his knees, defeated again. He didn't notice that the sky had suddenly turned blood red and filled with dark storm clouds. He abruptly heard someone cackling loudly and looked up as a dark figure descended from the tar black clouds in the sky. Danny stood up once again, with a look of pure fury on his face. Whoever this was, he was going to pay dearly. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the power that would transform him from Fenton to Phantom. But there was one problem; it wasn't there.

That familiar power that always hid inside him seemed noticeably absent, sending a shiver a dread through him. He tried several more times to transform, but each time was in vain. He looked up at the figure that was a mere few feet away from him. Lightning struck through the air, illuminating the area and revealing the mystery figure. It was none other than Pariah Dark, the Ghost King.

"You couldn't save them, could you child?" he sneered. "All that power and you couldn't do a thing." Danny stepped back as the ghost moved towards him, his eyes emitting an evil red glow. Suddenly, something odd occurred. His body seemed to blur and morph for a moment. Danny blinked in surprise: instead of the Ghost King was his archenemy, Vlad Plasmius. His vampire like teeth displayed in a malevolent grin.

"You're weak, Daniel," he stated. "Be a good halfa and just give up already. You know you can't win." He walked around Danny like he was nothing more than prey. Danny could only stand there, afraid to move, afraid to even breathe. "You can't stop the inevitable."

The figures features morphed again. The horns of hair turned into fiery white flames and the costume changed from primarily white to a somewhat familiar mix of white and black. On his chest appeared Danny's own insignia. When the shifting was done, there stood one of Danny's worst fears: his alternate future self.

"You can't stop it from coming. Can't stop me from coming," he said, taunting him. He gave a ghastly hiss, wiggling his forked tongue and leapt at the helpless Danny, who couldn't do a thing to stop him….

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Danny woke up with a start and a scream. He was covered with sweat and was breathing heavily. He ran his hand through his hair nervously as he tried to calm himself down. He looked at the clock next to his bed, realizing that only a half an hour had passed since he went to bed after coming home from an uneventful patrol. He squinted at his hands in the darkness of his room, as they shook incessantly.

He'd been having this same dream for months and every time they got more and more intense. He had tried everything to try to stop them but they only got worse. Well, not everything. He could always talk to Jazz about them. She obviously knew he had them; she had asked him about them on more than one occasion. But he couldn't talk to her. It'd only make her worry about him. He was perfectly capable of handling this, just like any other threat in his life.

His heart finally slowed down and his stopped shaking somewhat. He placed his hands on his lap and took a deep breath, trying to calm the rest of his nerves. Without warning, he felt moisture fall onto his hands. He reached to his own face and found a trail of tears: he was crying.

"When did I…" he thought to himself as he felt more tears fall onto his lap. He began to wipe them off his sleeve relentlessly, but they just kept coming. He cursed himself; he had made a vow never to cry like this again. He couldn't afford to. He had to keep it together. He couldn't protect anyone if he was a blubbering mess.

Could he protect them? The images from the dream still haunted his short-term memory. His body shook and convulsed as he began sobbing uncontrollably. He hugged his knees and tried to flush them out. He couldn't be like this. He had to take control! He couldn't – he couldn't let them down.

He cried himself back to sleep as he whispered the words "I'm sorry" over and over again.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Jazz had her ear to the wall as her brother finally fell asleep again after his nightmare. She was used to it now, even though his screams still woke her up at night. He was lucky that his room was far enough that it didn't bother their parents.

She wished Danny wasn't so stubborn and brick headed. She smiled softly, knowing it was a trait that was both a blessing and a curse of her family. She wished that Danny would just let someone, anyone in. What he was doing, pushing everyone away, was definitely not healthy and would eventually tear him apart, if it wasn't doing so already.

She sighed and tried to get some sleep herself, though she knew she probably wasn't going to get much. Worry was rooted too deeply in her thoughts for her to sleep well. Tomorrow was going to be a "three cups of coffee" day.

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Jump City

8:37pm

The Titans had gotten the call ten minutes ago from the police. A robbery was in progress in the warehouse district. Some of the Titans were both happy and slightly annoyed over their latest mission. For one, they were quite happy to break the monotony that was the lull in crime in the city. It had been a while since any of them had gotten any action and they were eager to enter into the fray. But on the other hand, they were busy with other plans.

The T-Car roared through the streets on their way to their destination. Cyborg was driving his "baby" with Beast Boy in shotgun and the girls riding in the back. Robin was ahead in his R-Cycle as it maneuvered the road. The ride to the crime scene was a silent one, until Cyborg decided to break the silence in the car.

"Who's ready for some butt whupping!" he exclaimed. He was excited that they were once again back in action. He knew all of them were getting a bit rusty and was hoping to pep everyone up.

"I am ready for the whupping of the bottoms!" Starfire happily chimed in to her comrade.

"As long as it isn't 'you know who'," said Beast Boy from the passenger's side. The rest of the Titans gave BB dirty looks, hoping he didn't jinx the whole thing. They all knew whom he was talking about: Slade. The mere mention of his name sent Robin in an obsessive tizzy. Cyborg made sure Robin wasn't listening in to their conversation over the comm. The last thing they needed was their leader in overprotective mode. Raven, using the book she was reading, promptly whacked Beast Boy over the head. He rubbed his head and grinned sheepishly.

By the time they arrived to the warehouse in question, the police was already there. Both vehicles stopped near a familiar unmarked police car. Robin stepped off his R-Cycle and hung his helmet on the handlebars. The other titans exited the T-Car, heading towards their leader. Cyborg made sure to set the alarm to his prized car before joining the others.

Detective Dick Wolf stepped out of his car, drinking a cup of coffee. He was the leader of the city's special crimes unit. He had coordinated with the Titans many times in the past and became friends with the teenage crime fighters, especially Robin. They greeted each other as the detective prepared to brief them on the situation.

"One hour ago the silent alarm was tripped in warehouse B-3. More specifically, the part that contains certain items belonging to the museum,' started the weathered detective. Robin nodded for him to continue. "The SCU arrive here 10 minutes after the alarm. Since then, something weird has been going on."

"Such as?" started Robin.

"Like a weird glow coming from the windows. And screams. We heard several of them coming from inside. Problem is we can't tell who it's from. We know there were at least three guards guarding the place. At least one is accounted for the other two are probably still inside," explained Wolf.

"Hostages?" asked a concerned Raven.

"Likely, but we're not sure. Other than the screaming, we haven't heard a thing from them. No demands, no ransom. Not a thing," said the exasperated police officer. "That's why we called in you guys. Thought you guys did a good job with the hostage situation two months back. Think you can work your magic again?"

"We'll do our best, sir," said the boy wonder. Suddenly they heard a howling scream coming from inside the building. Starfire grabbed Robin's arm. A green cat was clawing at Cyborg's head, hissing, with its fur standing on end. Cyborg, unfazed, looked up and scowled at the cat. The feline promptly jumped off his head, transforming back into Beast Boy on his way down. He grinned sheepishly, scratching the back his head. Raven eyed him with a raised eyebrow.

They suddenly noticed movement to the side of the building. Gunfire could be heard and a window shattered. All the officers on the scene immediately ducked behind their cars and readied their weapons. The Titans did the same: Robin readied some exploding discs. Starfire's hands began glowing with star bolt energy while Cyborg's arm transformed into his signature sonic canon. Raven was ready with her magic and Beast Boy transformed into a wolf. They all watched intently ready for any criminals to open fire.

Three figures suddenly bolted from the building. They all wore black clothing and one wore a black mask. They made a b-line straight to the cops, who all trained their guns at them. The terror on their faces turned to relief when they spotted the police, much to everyone's surprise.

"Please!" one of them exclaimed. "Take us! We give up! Get us away from here!" His face was ashen and his eyes were bloodshot. Robin took this opportunity to grab him by the collar and glared straight into his eyes.

"Where are the guards?" Robin asked menacingly. The thief stared back wild-eyed and full of fear

"G-Ghost!" He exclaimed, pointing towards the building. "Please, don't take me back there! The ghost – oh, god, it killed Rico…"

One of the other men began throwing up on the pavement. Robin looked away in disgust. Knowing they weren't going to get much more from the hysterical men, he handed them over to the police and regrouped with his teammates, with a grim look on his face.

"What the heck spooked them?" asked a somber Cyborg. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Whatever it is, we have to go in and stop it," answered their determined leader. Robin turned towards Wolf. "Get your men ready for anything. This may get ugly." With that, he motioned the other titans to following to the entrance the would-be thieves had come out of.

Inside the warehouse was quiet; too quiet. Each Titan didn't dare utter a word, for fear of being caught by whomever or whatever was terrorizing the place. They needed the element of surprise in order to bring it down. BB was once again an alley cat, using his big eyes to see in the dark. Cyborg was using infrared mode in his artificial eye to find any heat signatures. He then spotted a number of them in a corner.

"Hey, Rob. I think I found something," he radioed in. He slowly moved towards the heat mass till he was able to see four men huddled together in the corner. They all had the same petrified look as the men outside. Cyborg was surprised to see that two of them were the missing guards, who were just as terrified. The others converged on Cyborg's location. One of the men just stared and pointed at a nearby box. BB turned around and then jumped back at the sight: two pairs legs were protruding out from under a rather large crate.

"I think I found Rico," said a slightly woozy Beast Boy as he resisted the urge to gag. The other Titans looked away as well, their stomachs fairing no better. Even Raven, who normally was neutral faced on the job was showing signs of being disturbed.

"Raven, teleport these men out of here," ordered Robin. "The rest of us will find this sicko. Ghost or no ghost, he's going down." Robin smacked a fist in his other hand as emphasis. All the titans nodded, while Raven engulfed the men and herself in her dark aura. She and the scared men disappeared from site and the rest of the team ventured further.

Cyborg suddenly noticed something on his heat scope. "Rob, the room temp is dropping pretty quickly," he warned Robin.

"I have noticed the chilliness myself," responded Starfire as she shivered slightly. She moved closer to her boyfriend, partly due to the temperature, but also to make sure he was still by her side.

"You don't think they left their fridge open, did they?" asked Beast Boy jokingly. The others didn't respond. They knew he was just trying to lighten the mood, but now wasn't the time.

The closer they moved towards the center, the chillier it got. They then began to notice the glow. An odd blue-skinned man was floating high up, surrounded by boxes. The boxes seemed to empty themselves of their goods as the man inspected them. The most distinguishing thing about him was the tattoos that littered his body, as they gave an orange aura that offset his blue skin. He then noticed he had more guests and turned his attention towards them.

"Who dares once again to interrupt my search," he said in a menacingly, not so goofy way.

"Who are you?" Robin asked defiantly. "And what do you want?"

"Foolish mortal! You dare question the Box Ghost!" he exclaimed. "I only answer to my master and my master alone! Anyone who stands in the way of my master must perish!" With each word his eyes glowed brighter and brighter. Suddenly every single box and crate began floating high into the air.

"Uh… this can't be good," said BB, stating the obvious.

"Titans, GO!" Robin yelled. At the sound of their team battle cry, the other leapt into action; and out of the way of a number of boxes as they crashed down onto where they stood just moments before. Starfire took to the sky, dodging boxes left and right. Robin and Beast Boy jumped from crate to moving crate, hoping to get close enough to the self-proclaimed poltergeist. Beast Boy continuously transformed into small agile creatures, hoping his size and agility would prevent him from being squashed. Cyborg was still on the ground, blasting at the crazed Box Ghost with his sonic cannon and at the same time, dodging the rainfall of square containers. Unfortunately, boxes that seemed to move in at just the right time blocked each one of his attacks.

Robin finally was able to maneuver close enough to the ghost to attack. He launched a volley of discs, birdarangs and boas at the blue man. Starfire, who also was able to dodge her way close enough, joined in the attack. She fired a number of her star bolts at her foe and finished off with a beam attack from her eyes. They watched as every single one of their attacks …

…Seemed to go right through him harmlessly. Distracted by their failure, they didn't notice the box that knocked Starfire out of the sky. Cyborg managed to catch her below. Robin was still mid air, his momentum carrying him towards the enemy. He extended his Bo staff and swung at him with all the energy he could muster. Unfortunately, his staff also went right through and another box knocked him away from the grinning ghost.

Beast Boy, as a squirrel, finally reached behind the ghoul. He jumped and as he did so, morphed into a gorilla mid-air. He hoped to catch the ghost in a surprise tackle. But instead of catching him, he hit face first into a rather large shipping crate, which promptly fell along with the changeling to the ground. He reverted back into human form, slightly dazed.

Meanwhile, both Cyborg and Starfire were trying desperately not to become flat as a pancake as they held up a growing pile of boxes. One after another a box was added on to the stack as they struggled not to get squished. Both their immense strengths were holding for now, but that was soon about to change. Beast Boy ran to his friend's aid, transforming into an elephant and knocking away boxes off of the pile with his trunk. He then was pelted with containers big and small as he tried to stand his ground. Robin was making good work of his agility, dodging the rain of boxes as he tried to make it closer to his team. They had to regroup and find a way to stop this guy.

Suddenly, all the boxes just stopped all motion. A black aura seemed to cover them all and stopped them in their tracks. Raven suddenly appeared with her eyes black as night with magic. She chanted her signature magic words.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she cried. Two black claws of magic sprang to life and they raced towards the surprised poltergeist. They grabbed him from the air and pinned him to a nearby wall. As the other Titans breathed a sigh of relief at their friend's arrival, Raven flew towards their enemy. The ghost seemed unable to escape from her grasp. She was about to ask him a question when he said one word that seemed to freeze her in fear.

"Skath…"

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**AN: I'm a sucker for cliffies :p. Any who, if you non-TT fans don't know what 'Skath', I'll explain it in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks to the following people: Me the Anon One for helping me by beta-reading and good old fashion encouragement. And thanks for all who reviewed: Mako-Magic, Nonasuki-chan, twilight101, teenyugiohpotterphantom, Diamond Raider, HiddenAuthor, Shiva the Sarcastic, oriongamer, Arabic Blessing. Thanks for your kind words. Hope I can keep you entertained **

**See ya next chapter!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	5. Chapter 4: The Call

**6/08/09: Fresh coat of paint added.**

**Author's Notes: Another chapter for my fans :D. These are becoming easier and easier to write, so hope I'll be updating a lot more frequently, depending on time, work and school. This one is a shorter chapter showing the aftermath of Boxey's (yes that was the Box Ghost) rampage. I think it might be rushed a bit, so let me know what you think.**

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Chapter 4: The Call

"Skath…"

Raven floated there, her body paralyzed with fear. Did she hear correctly? The ghost looked her straight in the eye, as if he recognized something. He suddenly sported a large, evil grin as the answer popped into his head.

"You are the lost gem," he stated. Raven's eyes went wide as the words from the old prophecy echoed in her head again. She backed off as her emotions flared inside of her. She lost her otherwise cool composure as her powers flickered. The boxes, which she had taken control of just moments before, lost their black aura as they tumbled to the ground below. The other Titans ran for cover as it was once again raining large objects. The ghost, using this opportunity, escaped from the grasp of her magic as it wavered. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, the ghost makes a hasty retreat, but not without giving a final "Beware!"

The others ran towards Raven as she descended slowly towards the ground. She began to hug her shoulders. Her teammates called out her name as she landed on her knees and began to shiver.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Ten minutes later, the Special Crime Unit was busy inspecting the mess caused by the battle. Many of the criminals involved were either hospitalized or incarcerated. The bodies found were taken by the CSI unit for autopsy, though it was pretty clear what killed them.

Outside, the Titans were still coping with the situation. Raven was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk, drinking a cup of water to calm her nerves. Starfire was sitting right next to her, with her arm around the empath for comfort. Beast Boy was being looked at by ambulance workers for a head injury while Cyborg was coordinating with some officers. Robin watched the two girls from a distance, not sure on what to do. He had been close enough to hear what the ghost said to Raven and frankly he was worried about her. He knew she wasn't quite ready to talk yet about it.

"Hell, looked like you detonated a nuke in there," said an exasperated Detective Wolf. He walked toward the boy wonder while lighting a cigarette. "Please tell me you at least know who did it."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," replied Robin, not sure if he believed it himself.

"Try me," Wolf dared.

"It was ghost," answered Robin in the straightest face he could muster.

The detective just stared at him, not sure if he was joking or telling the truth. His cigarette fell out of his mouth. "You're joking, right? Please tell me you're joking," he practically appealed. Robin shook his head. "Damn it, Rob, at least give me something to put in the report! Bad enough half the criminals in the city can level a city block without moving a finger. I can't start putting crud about ghosts!"

"We saw what we saw," Robin replied. "We do have a few leads to look into. Speaking of which, is the museum curator here yet?"

"Just came in two minutes ago," Wolf stated, lighting another cigarette. "He's over there. Name's Prof. Marcus. Just don't go into interrogation mode, alright?" And with that, the officer headed back towards the crime scene, lighting another cigarette along the way.

Robin walked up to the middle aged man the detective alluded to. He seemed to be surveying the scene of any damage. He noticed the titan walk towards him and turned to greet him.

"Professor?" Robin asked. The man nodded.

"Professor Julian Marcus, at your service," he stated in a rather thick British accent. "Pleased to make your acquaintance," he said while holding out his hand, which Robin shook.

"I'm going to have to ask a few questions about the contents of the crates," Robin stated. "The 'perp' in question was looking for something and we'd like to have an idea what it is."

"Of course! As a matter of fact, we were going to notify you in the next couple of days on the matter," the Professor said. Robin looked at him quizzically. "They were artifacts and books we found excavating the old library." Robin's eyes went wide. He didn't mean that library, did he?

"I thought the city warded that off indefinitely?" Robin asked. Raven was definitely not going to like this news.

"The city lifted the ban two weeks ago. We were going to ask for your consultation, of course. We know many of the items are probably magical in nature," the curator explained. Years of living in this city had taught the professor never discount things such as magic. Robin only nodded.

"We're going to need an inventory as soon as possible," Robin stated matter of factly.

"Of course! We'll let you know if anything's lost," assured Prof. Marcus. Thanking him, Robin walked towards his team. He had a feeling things were going to get worse and very soon.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

"Are you feeling better, friend Raven?" asked a very worried Starfire. Starfire's heart always seemed to grow 3 sizes whenever her friends' wellbeing was involved. Raven nodded, still sipping the cup of water she held.

"A little, yes," the empath replied. She never liked her friends to see her in such a weak state. She was, however, grateful for Star's comforting embrace. She looked up and noticed Robin was returning. She could feel the overwhelming concern coming from him wash over her. As if on cue, Cyborg and Beast Boy joined the others as well. They all looked at her, the unasked question floating in the air. She sighed.

"I'm fine. Just a little shaken up," she said in her usual monotone voice. She didn't want them worrying about her, especially in this situation. She looked over to their leader, hoping to change the subject. "Spit it out already, Robin. I know you found something." Robin fidgeted a bit.

"It's about what was in the warehouse," he started. The others looked at him expectantly. He paused, preparing himself to the grave news. "It was artifacts they dug up from the old library." Everyone's faces dropped two shades of color as they took in the news. Even Raven, who was pale enough as it is, was almost a deathly white.

They all had reason to be in grim spirits. The library in question was built over a complex belonging to the Order of Skath, a cult who worshiped and followed Trigon, Raven's father. It was there last year where the Titans had heard of the prophecy involving Raven, the gem of Skath. It was also there that Raven was used as the portal to bring the demon to Earth. The City had labeled it off limits after Trigon was defeated.

"He knew," Raven said meekly. The others stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. "He knew I was the gem. He knew by just looking at me."

"Doesn't mean a thing, Rae," Cyborg replied, trying to ease her mind.

"It's not only that. Those tattoos on his arm were Azarian," Raven explained.

"But why would a ghost be interested in Trigon?" asked Beast Boy curiously.

"He was working for someone," Robin explained. "He said he had a master. Whoever this master is, has ties with Trigon."

"Or is Trigon," Raven stated.

"But friend Raven, you were the one who defeated the evil Trigon," asked a concern Starfire. "Surely, he is gone for good, is he not?"

"I'm not sure," Raven replied looking down. "I'm sure I destroyed him. But what if he's able to come back?" Doubt was clouding her mind. She felt the cruel hands of fate and destiny once again weighing her down.

"Don't worry, Rae," Beast Boy said enthusiastically. "Whoever it is, we can handle it."

"Wow,' replied Cyborg. "The grass stain is right for a change." BB stared at him indignantly.

Raven couldn't help but smile ever so slightly at her friend's antics. She knew they were trying to help her feel better and she was probably happier it was working more than they were. She was glad that her friends cared about her this much, despite all the baggage she came with. Robin gave a reassuring nod then addressed the group.

"Alright, let's head back to the tower. The professor from the museum is going to contact us with an inventory on the artifacts. Whatever the ghost wanted, we can't let them have it." All the Titans nodded and started to head towards their vehicles. Cyborg fell behind the rest alongside Robin.

"So, what's the real plan?" Cyborg asked. He knew the boy wonder long enough to know how he operated. Robin looked up to his tall second in command.

"I need you to do a favor for me, Cy," the boy detective started. "I need you to do some research. Anything you can find about ghosts."

"Think we're going to run into them again?" Cyborg queried.

"The more we know the better. Their weaknesses, how to fight them, the works. We couldn't do a thing against one. Only Raven's powers seemed to affect it," Robin explained. "We can't put that on Raven's shoulders if more show up." Cyborg nodded as they caught up to the others.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

The ride back home was a quiet one. Raven was clearly tired; her eyes were closed the entire trip back and the other titans were silent, not wanting to disturb her. Once they got home she disappeared into her room. The others met together to discuss their plans.

"Maybe we should postpone the partying for Raven's day of birth," said Starfire sadly. "She seems not to be in the mood for celebration." The others surveyed all the hard work they had done to the living room: streamers and balloons decorated the room while a big "Happy Birthday" sign was hanging in front of the main window.

"Yeah, Star is right. She seemed pretty bummed out, to say the least," Cyborg agreed.

"That's why we should have the party," Beast Boy piped in. "She needs some cheering up!"

"But won't she just get mad like she did last year?" countered Cyborg.

Robin had stayed silent throughout the exchange. He knew Trigon was still a sensitive subject for Raven and didn't want to push her into anything. But at the same time, he saw Beast Boy's argument.

"Can't I have a say in this?" asked Raven queried from the entrance of the room. Beast Boy ineffectively tried to hide the cake on the table, forgetting the fact the entire room was decorated.

"Rae! Why are you up so late?" he asked, trying to distract her. It clearly wasn't working.

"I knew you guys were going to try something this year," she said matter of factly, ignoring the green changeling's attempts of hiding the obvious.

"And you are not mad?" asked a perplexed Starfire.

"Just because tonight has been less than stellar doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate," Raven replied. "I think I need to be with my friends tonight."

"Glorious! I shall fetch the meat hat of celebration!" exclaimed the orange alien. The others made faces.

"You did remember the ice cream, didn't you?" Raven asked Beast Boy. He grinned widely.

"Coming right up!" he said, running to the fridge. Raven smiled, the prospect of being with her friends on her birthday comforting her as thoughts of her uncertain future buzzed under the surface of her mind.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Danny woke up groggily the next morning. After his 'dreams', he always had a hard time staying asleep and last night wasn't any different. He rubbed the crust out of his eyes and yawned. Turning his head invisible and intangible, he phased it through the floor into the kitchen. He could see his mother preparing breakfast and his sister at the kitchen table. He heard an explosion coming from the lab, indicating his father was working on some new invention. He breathed a sigh of relief, glad that everything was normal – or as normal as it normally was. He did his morning stretches and went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

After his shower, he felt a bit more refreshed. He headed down the stairs to the kitchen. He sat down in a chair with a grunt. His sister looked up from her psychology book with a concerned look. Danny felt uncomfortable and averted his eyes. His mother placed a bowl and a box of cereal in front of him and smiled warily.

"Morning, sweetie," she said, worry creeping up in her voice. "Sorry we missed you last night. Your father and I had an emergency call." The shoe was on the other foot as Danny felt worry well up.

"Everything turn out ok?" he asked, trying to hide his concern. Maddie smiled.

"It was just a false alarm. There hasn't been a real ghost sighting in quite a while," she answered. "We are still trying to figure out why and where all the ghosts have gone off to."

Danny had been wondering the same thing. He hadn't seen any ghosts in weeks. Even the Box Ghost, who seemed to be there whether you wanted or not, was noticeably absent. Danny could feel deep down that something was going to happen, something big. He knew that this was just the calm before the storm and he had to be prepared for anything.

"How was your last day at school?" Maddie asked. The question seemed to catch Danny off guard. He paused for a moment before replying.

"It was ok. Nothing big really happened," he answered. Jazz looked up from her book again with a look that said she knew better. She shook her head in disappointment before raising her book again.

"That's nice. How are Sam and Tucker? I haven't seen them around the house in ages," asked Maddie.

"I'm not sure. Haven't seen them in a while," Danny answered coolly. Jazz coughed, and then sipped her coffee. Maddie looked at her son with a wary face.

"Danny, did you have a fight with them?" she asked.

"Mom, everything is fine," he said. "I've been busy, they've been busy. We've just lost touch is all." Jazz was surprised just how easily Danny had lied to their mother. He finished his breakfast, and then headed back upstairs.

Maddie was now sure something was wrong with Danny. He had lied to her. He'd been lying to her for months, though recently had been more and more blatant. It was like he was a totally different person. He was so…distant.

She was worried that he wasn't hanging around with Tucker or Sam anymore. The three were inseparable for years. They always hung out and they always seemed to be there for Danny. She wondered what had happened between them to cause such a drift amongst the trio.

When Danny had asked her for training months ago, she was ecstatic. She was glad that Danny was finally interested in something she did. She hoped that they would become closer and she would finally be able to understand her son. They had drifted apart over the years and she saw this as an opportunity to renew the mother/son relationship.

Nothing could be farther from the truth, however. Danny never really opened up during their sessions. He never even seemed to really enjoy them. He trained constantly like a man possessed. Though he learned the moves and the stances of karate (at a rate she'd never seen anyone advance at) Danny never seemed to grasp the philosophy of it: that of balance. As a matter of fact, it seemed to her that he became more unbalanced as he trained. It was like he had lost his way and the more he fought, the further he drifted away from his path.

Maddie glanced at her eldest child and saw the same worried look that she wore. She wondered if Jazz knew why Danny was acting so strange. Jazz was always known for being perceptive. Maybe she knew how to get through to Danny. Before she could speak up, however, the phone rang. Jazz got up to answer it, while Maddie decided to ask her later.

"Hello, thank you for calling Fenton Works, where we provide all services involving removing, exorcising and otherwise ripping apart ghost, ghouls, apparitions, poltergeists, spooks and other ethereal spirits!" said Jazz, reciting the greeting Maddie had them all memorize. "How can we help you?"

"Hi! I was wondering if you can help me and my friends with a ghost problem," said the voice on the phone. Jazz noticed it was a young man who was speaking.

"Sure! We'll be glad to help," Jazz replied. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"Well, we ran into what we think was a ghost last night. We think it might be haunting our friend," replied the young man. "We scared it off but we think it might come back."

"Was it floating? Pale grey, blue or green skin? Translucent? Any otherworldly abilities?" Jazz asked, questioning the man on what he saw.

"Yes, blue skin, sort of, and does causing things to fly around count?" he asked. Jazz wrote down the answers on the pad next to the phone. "We're hoping to hire you for some consulting work."

"Alright, where did you see this ghost?" probed Jazz.

"Yeah, about that. Do you do long distance work?" he asked. "I think we're considered out of town."

"How far away?" asked Jazz, her interest piqued.

"Jump City too far?" he asked hopefully. Jazz could have sworn she heard of that city before. She was surprised someone from out of town would even consider calling them.

"I'm not sure," she answered truthfully. "I'm just the secretary. I'd have to see if Mr. and Mrs. Fenton are willing. Your name?"

"The name is Cyborg," he replied, "of the Teen Titans. Maybe you've heard of us?"

Jazz just stood there, not quite sure she heard correctly. She remembered where she heard of Jump City, home of the teen crime fighters, the Teen Titans. She slowly lowered the receiver.

"MOOOOOM!!!!"

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**AN: Now for the credits. First off, once again thanks to Nonny for her support. She makes an awesome mentor for newbie fanfic writers. Thanks for the encouragement, Nons! Also, thanks for all who reviewed the last chapter: southernstarshadow, Nonasuki-chan ,teenyugiohpotterphantom, Arabic Blessing, HiddenAuthor, Cylon One, Diamond Raider, Pieling, and Shiva the Sarcastic. Thanks for your kind words. Hopefully I won't disappoint. **

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron (Now with more Funk!)**


	6. Chapter 5: Travel Plans

**Author's Notes: Another Chapter off the presses. Thanks to everyone who posted reviews on my last chapter. I got over 20 reviews (more than any other chapter) and they are still coming in. Glad to see my story actually has fans. You like me! You really, really like me!**

**So what do have for you today? Lots of humor, shenanigans and some more emo-ness :p And the 2 worlds finally meet. Sort of.**

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Chapter 5: Travel Plans

It was barely morning the next day. Inside one of the many rooms of the tower the day was starting for one of the Titans. This room was quite different from the others, however. It looked more like a workshop than a bedroom. Various machines and computers littered the tables, many of them current projects. A rack of computer servers linked to the systems of the tower hummed quietly, lights blinking every so often to show activity. In the center of the room was a simple lift table. Sleeping on it was the titan's semi-robotic member, Cyborg.

He was attached to the terminal next to the table. The terminal served as his charging station, as well as a filtrator for his fluids, both organic and artificial. On screen was the current time of 6:59AM. Underneath was a number indicating the results of the search he initiated last night. He had sent search bots across the net in search of anything involving ghosts, as per Robin's request. He found it easier to do it this way rather than to do it himself, like he knew their leader liked to do.

The time on the screen changed to 7:00am, launching various activities in the process. The table automatically pivoted till it was standing upright. Cyborg's mechanical eye, which had been dormant, lit up as various systems in his body booted up. His natural eye fluttered open and he uttered a very loud yawn. He stepped off the table as cables that were attached to him disconnected from his body. He checked his battery levels to find he was at 100: he'd have to thank his friend Fixit for the new fast charging cells.

Even with his batteries charged, his human side still needed a few hours of shut-eye. He and the others titans had spent the early morning hours partying, reminiscing and otherwise having fun celebrating Raven's birthday. The party had turned out better than he expected despite all the bad news from earlier in the night. Though he loved a good party, he was one of the first ones to turn in. He knew he'd have a lot of data to sort through this morning, hence why he was awake so early in the morning.

He turned to the terminal, which still read the amount of search results the search bots had discovered. He groaned slightly: he didn't think there'd be that much information on ghosts on the net. He linked wirelessly to the terminal and started to peruse through the info at a fast pace. Though he preferred to read the old fashion way, beaming the info to his processing unit was the quickest way to sort through it all. He noticed obvious patterns, especially in recent studies and surprisingly in news articles. Various names kept being repeated throughout the search results. He indexed them, marking them as important. Those would definitely be shown to Robin.

He then plowed his way through various theories on the existence of ghosts, why they exist, what they were made of, etc. He once again found some of the same names, more specifically the name Fenton. While doing this, he heard his stomach, one of the few organs he had that were still real, growling, ready to be filled. He headed out towards the hallway, with the intent of making a large, hearty breakfast. His door swooshed open as he almost collided with Raven. She gave him a curious look.

"Morning, Rae," he said, slightly nervous, but keeping a straight face. "Why are you up so early?" He knew it was a stupid question; Raven was almost always the first one up every morning. She didn't need much sleep due to meditation.

"I could ask you the same question," she said in her signature monotone voice. She raised her eyebrow and gave him her famous 'I know you're up to something' look. Cyborg suddenly became very nervous; Robin gave instructions not to let Raven know about the research. He quickly tried to think of an excuse to give to her.

"Gotta start early for…waxing the T-Car!" he stated a bit too enthusiastically. Raven's eyebrow rose a little bit higher. This time she had an 'I don't believe you for a second, but I'll humor you anyway' look. Cyborg grinned sheepishly as he tried to head for the kitchen. Raven was close behind, deciding to continue the torture.

"So, what did you find out?" she asked, with a slight smirk on her face. Cyborg stopped and turned around, not able to hide his shock.

"Wh-what do you mean, Rae?" he replied back, not to sure he wanted to know where this was going.

"Whatever research Robin had you do," she relied smugly.

"Re-research? Have no idea what you're talking about, " he said, trying to save himself from the train wreck. He was failing miserably.

"Cy, you do know you're not fooling anyone, don't you?" she replied. "I knew Robin would want to find out more about our enemy. And since he promised Star he wouldn't lock himself in room doing research again, I figured he'd pass it along to you." Cyborg cursed himself mentally. Raven was way too perceptive, second only to the boy wonder himself. He nodded in defeat, knowing it was useless to argue. So much for keeping it a secret.

Claiming victory, Raven headed towards the kitchen to get her morning herbal tea, with Cyborg close behind, a cloud of shame hanging over his head. On their way, they passed the room of Starfire. The door opened as they passed, but instead of the orange-skinned alien girl, the found none other than Robin, trying and failing to sneak out of Star's room without being detected.

There was a long moment of silence as they all stood there starring at each other. Finding his wits, Cyborg took several shots with his electronic eye, saving the incriminating images for blackmailing later. Raven's eyebrow shot up to its peak. The boy wonder began blushing profusely.

"This isn't what it looks like," he said in a remarkable straight face. His hair was disheveled, his uniform ruffled and he was missing a boot. The looked their leader up and down before Raven replied.

"What is it supposed to look like?" she asked. A smug smirk was once again creeping up on her face. Cyborg was fighting to keep his composure as a fit of laughter threatened to erupt from his lips. Suddenly, Robin was tackled from behind by Starfire. Her arms wrapped around him as a seductive grin spread across her face.

"Robin, it is still much too early," she cooed, something Cyborg didn't even realize the normally naïve alien girl could pull off. "Please, comeback inside so we may…" she stopped mid sentence when she realized they weren't alone. She spotted Raven and Cyborg in the hallway. She gave a rather loud "eek!" and hid behind Robin's cape. She was a bit less dressed than normal. Robin was now doing a good impression of a lobster, as his face was now four shades more crimson than before.

"Friend Raven and Cyborg! What a glorious surprise," she said, trying to act innocently. "What brings you here this morning?"

Cyborg couldn't take it anymore. He burst into laughter at the compromising scene. Raven faired better, but still sported a devilish grin, which she tried to hide under her hood. Starfire face was a matching shade of red as Robin as she ran back into her room, dragging Robin by his cape. It took Cyborg several minutes to regain his composure.

"That was awkward," Raven stated, putting it mildly. She continued her trek to the kitchen, while Cyborg followed, wiping a tear from his eye. He definitely had to tell Beast Boy about this.

They finally made it to the kitchen. Raven filled her kettle with water while Cy prepped the oven for eggs and bacon. The decorations were still hanging around the living room from the night before. As he began cooking, he continued to sort through data at a breakneck speed. He so caught up in doing two things at once that he didn't notice his foot hitting something soft on the ground. This was followed by a yelp and a growl as a green dog was so rudely interrupted from his slumber. He eyed Cyborg for a moment before transforming into Beast Boy. Cyborg chuckled, noticing that Beast Boy didn't quite make it back to his room last night.

"Trying to sleep here," he said groggily. His eyes went wide when he saw what his teammate was cooking. "Bacon?! You know I can't eat this stuff! I've been a pig!"

"Better than that tofu crap you eat," replied the mechanized teen. His eyes glinted with mischief. "You're lucky I'm not eating green eggs and ham." Beast Boy blanched slightly. Raven rolled her eyes. This happened every time they ate. It had become tradition in the tower for the two to bicker about whether meat was on the menu.

Raven turned her head as the doors swooshed open. Robin came in, his uniform in proper order and spiky hair back in place. He tried looking authoritative, but under the knowing gaze of Raven and amusing leering of Cyborg, he was failing miserably at it. Starfire came in seconds later, also in full uniform. She was wearing a nervous smile as she entered.

"Heard you had a rough night, lover boy," Cyborg joked. BB's ears perked up, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Nothing happened," Robin replied coolly. Starfire's face fell somewhat.

"Last night was 'nothing'?" she asked in hurt tone. Robin paled, realizing his bad choice of words.

"No, I didn't mean it like that Star!" he exclaimed, trying to stop the bad situation from becoming worse.

"I don't know. Looked like something happened," Raven muttered quietly. Cyborg chuckled.

"If last night meant nothing to you then maybe we should not be doing the dating," Starfire said with an indignant huff.

"Star, that's not what I meant! They think we…" he said, continuing the explanation with a whisper in her ear. Starfire immediately began to blush.

"Oh no, dear friends! We are not of age to do such things!" she exclaimed. Robin sighed in relief. "We only kissed. And did the cuddling," she continued. Robin's face turned red on the descriptions of last night. "And I asked Robin to do the thing with his mouth."

Everyone's face turned beet red, his or her minds imagining what the 'thing with the mouth' meant. Raven coughed uncomfortably while Cyborg stood in shock and Beast Boy fainted.

"What is wrong, friends?" Starfire asked innocently. "Is the nibbling of the ear considered taboo on Earth?" Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; everyone except Robin. He definitely didn't want their romantic activities to be known by the rest of the team. He knew Cyborg and Beast boy wouldn't let him live it down.

Raven cleared her throat, catching the attention of everyone.

"If you're all done, I think Cyborg has some research he'd like to share," she said. Robin looked at Cyborg questioningly as he merely shrugged.

"Don't look at me! She figured it out on her own," Cyborg said, pleading his innocence. The talk of research caught Starfire's interest as she once again focused on Robin.

"What is this research Raven is speaking of, Robin?" she asked. Robin laughed nervously. "Did you not promise you would not be the brooding and obsessive?" Robin paled, realizing his troubles were far from over.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

After the lovers' spat and breakfast, everyone gathered on the couch in from of the main screen in the living room. Cyborg was going to brief them on the information he'd found. He hooked himself up wirelessly to the screen.

"All right, everybody, settle down," said to the group as he prepped himself for the presentation.

"Tell us, fiend Cyborg! What did you find about our foe?' inquired Starfire. Raven herself was interested in what he found. Though she was versed in magic and many things paranormal, she didn't know much about ghosts. She planned on doing some research of her own in her own collection of books and at her favorite bookstore.

"Well, I did a lot of searching through the web, various news archives and even some web forums," he started, now all business. "And in most of my results, a number of names kept showing up. The most prominent one was this." The screen changed, showing a map of the USA. A target reticle appeared and pointed to somewhere in the state of Oregon. The screen magnified a few times until it reached the city level. The reticle pointed out a small town, labeled as Amity Park.

"The name sounds familiar. Has anything happened there recently?" their leader asked.

"Try every other week. This town is like the capital of ghosts," replied Cyborg. "There seems to be a constant stream of ghost activity. Some speculate it's the most active point of ectoplasmic activity in the country. Sightings, hauntings, you name it. There have even been at least two ghost invasions."

"Obviously the town is still there. How did they fight off the ghosts?" asked Robin, taking all the information in.

"The first invasion was supposedly fought off by these two," Cyborg replied as the screen changed to show a man and a woman. The man was rather large with graying hair. He wore an orange and black hazmat suit. The woman wore a matching jumpsuit, in blue instead of orange, and had reddish-brown hair. "Jack and Maddie Fenton: the local ghost hunters of the town. The ghosts seemed to cause mayhem and even kidnapped the mayor. Also supposedly, the leader of the ghost was this guy." The screen changed again to show a young man in mid-flight. He wore a black hazmat suit with white gloves, boots, belt and collar. His hair was snowy white and his eyes in the shot shone a bright neon green.

"Wait, I've seen that face before!" exclaimed Beast Boy. "On the news. Inviso-Bill or something like that."

"Right and wrong, BB," remarked Cyborg. "He went by that name for a while until the second major ghost attack. He now goes by Danny Phantom."

"Is this Phantom person an enemy?" asked Starfire.

"That's the weird part. During the second attack he actually helped save the town. Fought against some ghost claiming to be the king of all ghosts. Town literally disappeared from off the map for a few days," explained Cyborg. On screen showed waves of ghost skeletons walking the streets. In a separate window showed a crater where the town once stood, then another one time stamped on a later date showed the town returned to its original state.

"Why help the town if he attacked it earlier?" Raven wondered out loud. She found his behavior very perplexing.

"Not sure. But ever since then, Phantom has been spotted at almost every major ghost attack fighting against other ghosts. He's actually pretty popular there. Fan club and everything." Cyborg showed a "WE LOVE PHANTOM" fan site onscreen, with various pictures of the ghost onscreen. There was also a picture of a Hispanic girl on the bottom of the screen who was labeled as being the President of the club.

"Maybe we can get some help from this Phantom guy?" asked Beast Boy. Robin shook his head.

"He seems like a wildcard. We don't know if he'd even want to help, let alone know how to even contact him," the boy wonder explained. "What about those ghost hunters. The Fentons."

"They seem to know their stuff, I think. They definitely have more experience than we do on the subject," Cyborg answered. "They do seem have to a few interesting theories on ghosts and ghost hunting. Plus they are the closest ghost hunters on the west coast." Robin nodded.

"Give them a call. See if they can do some consulting work for us. I'll talk to the city to see if they can provide compensation for anyone that we hire," Robin ordered. He then looked over at Raven. "Don't worry, Raven. We'll find a way to fight back." Raven nodded, appreciating the sentiment. The last thing she wanted were other people invading their privacy but if it was the only way to protect themselves, it was a risk she was willing to take. She watched as Cyborg dialed the number on his communicator.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"MOOOOM!" Jazz called as loud as she could. Cyborg winced at the volume level of the scream. Maddie Fenton raced to her daughter as she looked questioningly at her.

"What is it, sweetie?" she asked in a confused tone. Jazz shoved the phone in her hand, shock written all over her face.

"It's f-for you! He says he's a T-titan," she barely mumbled. Confused, Maddie took the phone and placed the receiver on her ear.

"Is anyone there?" the young man on the line asked.

"This is Maddie Fenton. May I ask who this is?" Maddie asked. She heard a soft chuckle on the line.

"You may want to sit down before I tell you. Sounds like I shook up your 'secretary' a bit," he replied. Maddie decided to take his advice and sat down at the kitchen table. "My name is Cyborg and I'm a member of the Teen Titans here in Jump City. We're calling to see if you can help us with a ghost problem." Maddie blinked a few times.

"The Teen Titans?" she asked in disbelief. She looked at the caller ID and it did indeed show a 'City of Jump City' phone number.

"Yes, ma'am, those Teen Titans," Cyborg replied. "Glad to hear you are taking this better…"

"JACK!" Maddie hollered, forgetting to cover the microphone of the phone. Cyborg found himself once again covering his ears. Jack Fenton bound up the stairs from the lab in a huff.

"What is it, Mads? You've seen a ghost?" asked the paranoid father.

"No, Jack. We're getting a job offer from Jump City! From the Teen Titans!" Maddie exclaimed excitedly. Jack's face was blank, the news not quite registering. "You know, Jack. The superheroes!" His face lit up and a goofy grin was plastered on his face.

"Really?" he asked. His wife nodded. The grin grew wider. "Hot dang! Say yes, say yes, say yes!" he exclaimed like a schoolboy with a new toy. Maddie, realizing the phone was still in her hand, placed the phone back on her ear.

"Sorry, about that, Mr. Cyborg," she apologized over the phone.

"No problem. People get excited over us all the time," Cyborg replied. "And its just Cyborg." Maddie apologized yet again, and then went straight to the business at hand.

"What kind of ghost trouble are you experiencing?" she asked in a professional manner.

"We've only had one ghost so far, but we have a hunch there might be more. That's all I can say over the phone," Cyborg answered. "You guys seem to be the best around in this part of the country. We hope you'll consider…"

"We'll take the job," Maddie interrupted. Cyborg noticed she accepted all too quickly. "We can be on our way in two hours." She and Cyborg exchanged and concluded the transaction. After hanging up she punched the air in triumph: they finally had business!

"I'll load up the Fenton Ghost Assault Vehicle," Jack exclaimed as he headed to fill up the RV with ghost weapons galore.

"We're going?" Jazz asked.

"We're going!" Maddie responded.

"Going where?" asked a confused Danny. He had gone downstairs to see what all the commotion was about.

"We're going on a trip to Jump City, dear!" his mother exclaimed. "We got a call from the Teen Titans themselves!"

Jazz watched her brother as he took in the news. His face showed the shock of the unexpected news. It then twisted to an emotion Jazz couldn't quite decipher. It only lasted for a second before he once again sported a disinfected, neutral face.

"Whatever. I'm going out," he replied.

"No, you're not, mister," Maddie replied, putting on her 'listen up or else' face only a mother could make. "You need to pack for the trip." Danny did a double take.

"Wait, I'm going?" he asked in disbelief. "I can't go. I have stuff to do. I have to…" he stopped mid sentence. He couldn't claim he was hanging out with Sam and Tucker. And he couldn't say what he really was thinking: that he could risk leaving the town unprotected. His mother stood there, waiting for a response. She wanted to here what excuse he was going to give. When none came, she spoke up.

"Danny, its not everyday we get a job out of town, especially in a big city like Jump City," she reasoned. "And we can't just leave you two alone in the house. Now go help your father pack the RV, young man." Danny remained silent, knowing she had made up her mind. He skulked down to the basement to help his dad not break anything.

In truth, Maddie was hoping this trip would help her reconnect with her son. She was worried about extracurricular his activities. Something had caused her son to change so suddenly over the past year. She shuddered to think if it was drugs or drinking or worst. She hoped time away from whatever it was that took up his time would be good for him.

Jazz was actually glad for this unexpected trip. It'd be easier to keep an eye on her brother, which she suspected was her mother's intention as well. Maybe she would be able to reach him if he was away from the city and ghosts. Then again, if there was a ghost problem in Jump City, he would still be occupied with his obsession.

She was also excited about meeting the Titans in person. She definitely had a long list of questions to ask them. She could finally have fresh material for her new thesis paper on the psychological impact of crime fighting on the teen psyche. Despite his recent behavior, she still considered her brother a hero. She hoped that being near other teen heroes his age would rub off him and somehow change him into something better.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

The Ghost Assault Vehicle aka the Fenton RV was packed and ready to go by 1:00pm. Jack, with the help of Danny, had loaded the vehicle with every ghost catching gadget they could think of. They made sure it was ready to handle anything any ghosts would throw at them. Each of the Fentons had brought along personal items as well: Jazz had brought along notepads for her planned interviews of the teen heroes of Jump city, books on psychology, a tape recorder and her digital camera; she was going to take lots of pictures. Danny had taken his laptop, an mp3 player full of depressing songs, books on the paranormal for 'light reading', and various hidden ghost gadgets of his own. Better to be prepared.

They made their final preparations and started off on their trip south to sunny California. Danny looked out the window to the receding city line. He hoped that it would still be there when he came back. At least he'd be able to protect his mom and dad in case of any problems. And if there was a major ghost situation, he would be ready to handle it. It could have been entirely possible the ghosts were gone from the city cause they were cause trouble elsewhere.

He actually smirked to himself at the fact the Teen Titans were asking for help about ghosts. Maybe he could show them a thing or two. Ghosts were his thing and he'd be damned if he let some rookies mess it up. Of course that would only matter if he were jealous. Which he wasn't. Was he?

* * *

**AN: And now for the thank you's! If I haven't replied to you reviews yet, I'll get to them eventually. I like interacting with my readers. Now, thanks to:**

**Cori Rain, Sasia93, twilight101, Mako-Magic,HikaruOfArrow, Lunargurl101, Cylon One, Sweeteen19, Nonasuki-chan,southernstarshadow,Pieling, teenyugiohpotterphantom,Diamond Raider,HiddenAuthor, Mr. Snuffles,dPhantoMfreak,Shiva the Sarcastic,.Tetsukon, calamite, Arabic Blessing, and last, but not least Me The Anon One. Thanks Nonny!**

**-Your Favorite Neighborhood Funkatron**


	7. Chapter 6: Green Eyed Phantom

**Author's Notes: Alright, I've decided a few things location-wise. I know both Jump City and Amity Park are fictional cities, so location is sort of tricky. I did some thinking and this is what I got:**

**Amity Park, Oregon, USA: I'm borrowing this from another FanFic. To me it makes the most sense. According to Wikipedia, in "Fanning the Flames" Mr. Lancer mentions Northwestern Standardized Testing, so Oregon is as good a guess as any. It also makes it relatively close to: Jump City, California, USA: From the final season and the movie, Jump is definitely located on the West Coast. California is most probable. Having the cities in located bordering states makes it easier for the trip between the two.**

**Special thanks goes to "Me the anon one" aka Nonny. She's been such an awesome help in helping a newb such as myself, especially in this last chapter. Thanks to her for taking the time to beta-read this chapter.**

**Now, on with the story!  
**

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Chapter 6: Green Eyed Phantom 

The journey from Amity Park to Jump City was going to be a long one; the Fentons were going to be stuck together in the Ghost Assault Vehicle, aka the Fenton RV, for sixteen hours. Maddie and Jack took turns driving, much to the Jazz's dismay. Unfortunately instead of relaxing in between her turns, Maddie spent her time trying to convince her Jack not to drive so fast. They were extremely lucky that they weren't stopped by the highway patrol. When it was her turn, Maddie would talk with her husband about how excited she was about their first big high profile job outside of Amity Park. Business had been unusually slow recently, partly due to Phantom's sudden increase in activity over the past year, which had left them with very few ghosts to hunt. By the time they arrived at the scene of a ghost sighting, Phantom would have already been gone, with their potential capture in tow.

Maddie was curious about what drove the unusual ghost. She and Jack both knew and subscribed to the textbook definition for ghosts: manifestations of ectoplasmic energy and post-human consciousness. She believed that contrary to popular belief, ghosts were not always the spirits of the dearly departed, though a few were. Many times, they were just the intense emotions of a person that manifested itself into a being of energy. The seed of their creation was normally connected to their 'unfinished business' as it was commonly referred to. The reason, the motivation that kept them from simply disappearing? Their obsession.

Maddie couldn't quite figure out what Phantom's obsession was. Most, if not all ghosts she and Jack encountered were malevolent. Their aim seemed to be to terrorize and frighten the living and create chaos; the constant ghost attacks up until know were proof of that. But Phantom seemed to be different. Apart from the unusual situation when he had kidnapped of the mayor a year and a half ago, Phantom seemed to be actually helping, fighting off the other malevolent spirits He certainly was doing a better job than they were. He always seems to show up and do the job before they even get the call from the city's Ghost Watch line. She would love to know the reason why he fought his own kind.

The lack of work was even more prevalent during the past two weeks. There had been no ghost sightings, no ectoplasmic readings, nothing. They hadn't even seen the annoying ghost obsessed with boxes, who had a habit of appearing where you'd least expect him. The only activity they had seen was from Phantom himself, and from what she gathered from his behavior, he noticed the inactivity as well. She thought that maybe the new sighting in Jump City was related. She had an uneasy feeling about it, but at least they had found work.

While the parents were occupied absorbed with driving and each other, Jazz and Danny found ways to occupy their free time. Jazz spent her time reading books on the teen psychiatry, stealing concerned looks at Danny during the whole trip. The silence between them was unbearable for her. She thought fondly of the trip they had taken to Wisconsin for their parent's high school reunion. At least back then, they were talking to each other, even if it was just typical brother and sister bickering. Danny hardly even acknowledged her presence now, barricading himself from her emotionally and mentally.

Danny was all too aware of his sister's attention. He tried to ignore it as he contemplated his immediate plans. This trip was putting a damper on his plans training and his patrols. He also had to investigate the lack of ghost activity recently. He knew a major attack was imminent and he was worried that he wouldn't be there to prevent it. Unfortunately, his current situation couldn't be helped. His parents were insistent that he join in their little trip and he wasn't at liberty to refuse.

Danny for the life of him didn't see why everyone thought the Titans were so great. He had saved his town countless times. While they had numbers on their side, he had faced impending doom time and time again on his own; and yet they were the heroes and he was considered a nuisance. He was just as much of a hero as they were. He wondered how severe the ghost trouble was that the Titans had to call for outside help, let alone his parents. If they couldn't handle a few ghosts, then he'd just have to show them how it was done.

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"We must hurry, friends! Our guests shall be here very soon!" exclaimed an exuberant Starfire as she rallied her teammates for a most daunting task: cleaning.

Despite being superheroes known worldwide, the Titans were still five teenagers living together unsupervised. Needless to say, certain areas of the tower were in various stages of neglect and disorder. With adults present in the tower temporarily, Robin had ordered the Titans to engage in an impromptu cleaning spree. Starfire, in her usual bubbly way, rallied the troops on clean up duties throughout their home. She and her pet, genetically-altered killer moth caterpillar named Silkie, were taking up the task of cleaning the fridge, which was home to many forgotten leftovers from weeks and even months past. Much of the food was covered in strange colored fuzz, which Starfire and Silkie were disposing of by eating. Her fellow teammates, though a little disgusted, weren't worried. They had seen her cook and eaten much worse.

Beast Boy had won the unlucky task of cleaning the bathrooms throughout the tower. It was the last job he wanted, but he lost at drawing straws (which he suspected was rigged), so he was stuck. He gave a mock salute, hands donned in yellow gloves, head in a shower cap and toilet bowl cleaner held up high. He faced his first opponent (the downstairs bathroom) with a grim look on his face and began his rigorous task.

Cyborg was doing the heavy lifting. He moved various items and gizmos that were lying around, out of the way and into storage. The storage room itself wasn't organized very well, so he was forced to move various crates around to make space. Meanwhile Raven was in charge of making the guest rooms livable. She used her telekinetic powers to make the bed, dust and vacuum. She felt like a maid more than anything else, but she knew the work had to be done, so she didn't complain.

While everyone else was cleaning, Robin was making the necessary arrangements with city hall by securing payment for the Fentons if and when they completed their job. The treasury was being tight-fisted about allocating the funds. Although the city was no stranger to paying for combating the supernatural, they had a budget to keep. They also were reluctant and skeptical about dispensing money to so called ghost hunters. After much negotiation, the boy wonder was able to come to an agreement with the city that he hoped would please the Fentons.

By the time the tower was in decent shape, the Titans were all pretty worn out. It was late and they were lucky that no emergencies or return appearances from the ghost they encountered earlier had arisen. Thinking they had a few hours left before their guests arrived, they decided to get some sleep. They all mumbled their goodnights as they shuffled to their respective rooms. That is, had they tried to until an alarm sounded stating someone was at their entrance.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Ha! Told you I'd find it!" exclaimed a very excited Jack Fenton. Maddie didn't know how he did it (actually she had a sinking suspicion it was his haphazard driving) but the Fenton clan had managed to arrive ahead of schedule. The Ghost Assault Vehicle was now making its way through the streets, with Jack at the wheel and Maddie beside him, brandishing a map of the city.

"Do you even know what we're looking for, Dad?" queried a semi-conscious Jazz. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she woke up from her nap. Danny was already wide awake, his nose stuck in a book on the paranormal.

"Of course, I do, Jazzy-pants!" Jack replied boisterously. "Ghosts!" Jazz shook her head as Maddie gave Jack an exasperated look. She referred to her map again, trying to find her bearings. It was difficult, however, due to Jack unwillingness to slow down much since exiting the highway.

"I'm no genius, but I think that big giant T over there is our stop," said Danny, speaking for the first time the entire trip. The others looked in the direction he was pointing at to see a rather large tower shaped like a giant T standing on an island in the bay. Blaming fatigue for not noticing it earlier and ignoring Danny's sarcastic tone, Maddie instructed her husband to head towards the bay. They reached the entrance of a tunnel going underground toward Tower. There was a gate blocking the passage, obviously to ward off intruders. They drove up to a panel and pressed the call button.

To tell the truth, Jazz was getting pretty excited. They were mere moments from meeting the Teen Titans. Apart from her brother, these were the first heroes not related to ghosts she'd have met and she had Danny to thank for her interest. After finding out her brother's secret, she had done quite bit of studying on not only teen psychology, but the psychology of superheroes as well. The problems of the average teen compounded by the weight and responsibility of being a hero were an extremely interesting topic. Originally a side project to delve into the mind of her brother, it became somewhat of her main focus of study, especially after Danny's sudden change over the past year. She was even preparing a thesis paper on the subject. She was hoping to take advantage of this opportunity to get some insight from the teen heroes on the matter.

After a minute or two of waiting, the panel came to life with activity. They heard a slight yawn from the speaker (it was quite late at night/early in the morning) and a familiar face appeared onscreen.

"Titan's Tower. How can I help you?" asked a fatigued Cyborg.

"Ghost hunters Jack and Maddie Fenton here, ready to kick ghost butt!" and enthusiastic Jack answered. Cyborg was slightly taken aback by the older man's energy. He gave the most welcoming smile he could muster in him sleepy state.

"Hey, y'all! Welcome to Jump City!" Cyborg greeted. A click and a whine were heard as a scanner scanned their faces and RV. The lights on the panel changed from red to green and the gate rolled up, revealing the tunnel leading to the island. "Just follow the lights to the garage. We'll be there to meet you." The screen went blank as Jack floored it into the tunnel.

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"They're here," Cyborg said with a yawn. The other Titans were all sleepy eyed; their rest having been interrupted by there expected guests arriving unexpectedly early. Well, most of them. Starfire was giddy, as always, eager to meet new faces.

"I thought they weren't gonna be here for another four hours?" complained Robin tiredly.

"Hurry! Let us go and meet our guests!" Starfire exclaimed, floating up a few inches while doing so. She flew towards the elevator, giggling the whole way. Robin smiled at his girlfriend's unending cheerfulness (a trait he loved about her). He and the other titans followed her to the elevator down to the basement garage.

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As soon as the RV came to a stop, Jazz jumped out, thankful to be on solid ground. Her father's driving always disturbed her. How a grown man could drive like he did and never get caught by the police was beyond her. But, she had to admit traveling with her father at the wheel was a lot faster than any other method. Maddie followed after her daughter, taking in her surroundings warily. Jack jumped out of the RV right after, brandishing a rather large bazooka. His eyes darted right to left, surveying the area for any threats. Danny was the last one to leave the vehicle. He also looked around, albeit more discreetly than his father. A door at the far end of the garage dinged, and then opened. The Fenton family turned their attention to the sight of the five Teen Titans walking out to greet them. Starfire flew ahead, a big smile on her face.

"Greetings, friends!" she began. "Welcome to our…" She wasn't able to finish, as Jack pointed his bazooka at the floating figure.

"GHOST!" her cried as he pulled the trigger before anyone realized what was happening. Fortunately for everyone, the gun was of the non-lethal variety as Starfire was now covered in ecto-foam tm. She gave a shriek as she flew behind Robin's cape for protection.

"Jack Fenton, you put down that Ecto-Foamer this instant!" fumed a rather flustered Maddie Fenton.

"But Maddie, it's a ghost! Its flying and everything!" Jack replied, pointing towards the now hiding girl.

"Jack, you just shot one of our clients," Maddie answered, trying to keep calm. "They're superheroes, dear. Of course they can fly." Jack looked back and forth between his wife and the girl still covered in Ecto-foam. The other heroes still had looks of shock written all over their faces. Realizing what he had done, Jack dropped the weapon and gave a sheepish grin.

"Uh, sorry about that," he apologized. A smack could be heard as Jazz's hand met with her forehead. Danny just shook his head. Raven surveyed the situation and wondered what the heck Cyborg had gotten them into.

"I'm extremely sorry about that," Maddie said to Robin. "Jack gets a little…excited when it comes to ghost hunting." She held out her hand. Robin took it in greeting. "Maddie Fenton, at your service."

"I'm Robin. Welcome to Titan's Tower," the leader of the Titans replied. Jack stepped up and also shook Robin's hand, nearly crushing it in the process. Robin wiggled the circulation back into his fingers as he glanced over to the two teens standing behind the ghost hunters.

"I hope you don't mind, we brought our children along to help," Maddie explained, answering Robin's unasked question.

"Yup! Ghost hunting is a family affair for us Fentons," Jack continued. "This is our daughter, Jasmine and our son Danny."

"Dad, please. It's Jazz," Jazz said, exasperated. She shook hands with Robin. Danny just shrugged, not saying a word. Maddie frowned slightly at his rude silence.

"This is my team," Robin began, pointing toward his fellow heroes. "You've already met Starfire."

"Greetings?" Starfire said meekly, her usual energy replaced with caution. She waved from behind Robin, keeping her distance from Mr. Fenton.

"And you've talked to Cyborg over the phone," Robin continued. Cyborg walked and shook hands with the couple. He then turned towards Jazz.

"So, how's that secretary job coming along?" he asked mischievously. Jazz blushed at the question, slightly embarrassed.

"Glad to see your hearing is back," she said jokingly. "Sorry about the yelling."

"It's no problem. It takes more than that to take me out," he boasted cockily. Jazz giggled. Danny wanted to gag right then and there. Was Jazz actually flirting with him?

"To tell you the truth, I've really wanted to meet all of you. What you guys do every day is really amazing! It's great to meet some real live superheroes" Jazz exclaimed. Danny's expression darkened at that remark. Robin coughed to get everyone's attention then continued with the introductions.

"And that's Beast Boy," he said pointing toward the emerald titan. At the sound of his name, Beast boy sprang to life in full court jester mode. He was a jokester at heart and he was ready to try out some new material on their guests. But before he could utter a word, he suddenly realized that Mr. Fenton was standing in front of him. In his hand was a notebook, which he promptly handed to Beast Boy along with a pen.

"Could I have your autograph?" the large man asked the teen, who was dumbstruck by the request. The green boy quickly shook himself out of his funk and signed the notebook. Jack Fenton sported a big grin on his face as he walked back towards his wife, exclaiming, "I got his autograph!"

"And Raven," Robin finished. Raven nodded to the new arrivals. She was doing her best to hide the fact that her interest was focused elsewhere.

Her first impression of the Fentons was definitely mixed. The father, Jack was a big bumbling oaf who was too hyper for his own good. He reminded her too much of Beast Boy, which explained the autograph scene. Maddie Fenton seemed capable enough. She seemed like an intelligent woman who knew what she was doing. She wondered how two people so different had ended up together.

Their daughter, Jazz seemed like an intelligent person, albeit a bit too perky for Raven's tastes. She did notice something, however about her. An emotion that seemed to waft from not only her, but the mother as well, though it wasn't as strong: worry. An overwhelming wave of worry could be felt coming from both the women. It was hard for her empathic senses not to notice. It wasn't their job that had them worried, however. Their thoughts of concern seemed to be directed at the last member of the family, Danny.

Danny was the most mysterious of the four Fentons. He hadn't said a word the entire time and seemed to give off an air of indifference, but at the same time Raven noticed he was all too aware of his surroundings. She observed that as Robin introduced each of the Titans that Danny had looked at each of them up and down, as though he were assessing their strengths and weaknesses with a glance. It was almost as if he saw them as a threat. When it was her turn for introductions, she could feel the chill of his attention as his intense glare bored through her. His electric blue eyes examined her only for a moment, but it seemed more like hours.

She stayed composed, not allowing the unsettled feeling that was gnawing at the pit of her stomach show outwardly. She glanced at Robin from the corner of her eye to see if he had picked up anything from Danny and found Robin's eyes were furrowed slightly, a sign he had suspected something, but he wasn't sure what. He escorted the guests to the elevator to take them to their temporary quarters, keeping up a cheerful demeanor, not letting on that he was troubled in the slightest.

"Let's see if we can get the foam out of your hair, sweetie," Maddie said to Starfire in a motherly tone as they walked through the hallway. Starfire smiled at the older woman's kindness. "We're not sure what long term exposure to living tissue would do." Starfire's smile faded as she turned slightly pale and gave a muted 'eep'. Raven couldn't but smile as she followed, observing from behind.

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Raven volunteered to escort the Fentons to their rooms so she could observe Danny a bit longer. Mr. and Mrs. Fenton shared one room, while Jazz and Danny shared another, much to the chagrin of Danny and the delight of Jazz. Raven could tell he wasn't happy about the living arrangements, but he kept silent. She let them know that breakfast would be served at 9:30, and then left the family to settle in. As soon as Raven was gone, Jazz began gushing about meeting the teen crime fighters.

"I can't believe we're actually in Titan's Tower, with the Teen Titans!" she exclaimed excitedly. Danny just rolled his eyes, then plugged his ears with ear buds and turned up his mp3 player. Truth be told, he felt somewhat betrayed by Jazz's remarks. Real superheroes? Was what he had to go through everyday not important? Wasn't he a hero? He felt his disdain for the Titans grow even more as he replayed the events of the night in his mind. He drifted off to sleep, drowning himself in dark gothic rock music.

As Raven made it to her room, her thoughts drifted back to Danny. There was something about him that troubled her deeply. She thought back to intense manner he had stared at all of them. She knew that the Titans, despite their almost celebrity status, weren't welcome by all and she could handle a kid who wasn't a fan. No, there was definitely more going on. Raven couldn't shake the feeling he reminded her of something, or rather someone. It wasn't just the stare, though, but his rather dark attitude, as though he felt the whole world would end any minute. It then dawned on her that his grim demeanor had reminded her of herself.

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**AN: Finally done with this one. Thanks to all who have posted reviews. Your personal replies are coming soon, so don't worry. I haven't forgotten about you. Special thanks to: Mako-Magic, phantomshadowdragon, dPhantoMfreak, Summers Rage, southernstarshadow, Sweeteen19, Ant Crown, Warrior of winds, teenyugiohpotterphantom, Pieling, Shiva the Sarcastic, Kradeiz, HiddenAuthor, Sasia93, Nonasuki-chan and, calamite. Thanks a bunch for your reviews. So happy you guys like the story so much.**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron (Now with more FUNK!)**


	8. Chapter 7: Breakfast with the Fentons

**Author's Notes: I am soooo terribly sorry. I made you guys wait a whole month for a new chapter. I really apologize to my fans. School work came up and work and…well, a little something called "Gears of War" showed up and got my immediate attention for quite a bit. Now that I've made more time I was able to come out with a new chapter. Next one might not come for another two weeks, since finals are almost upon me (my online courses have a weird schedule).**

**What's in this new chapter? Well, the title says it all. Not only that, we get a glimpse at the main villains and a very familiar ghost. Questions get …more questions, Jazz gets attacked by something pink and Starfire steals the show at the end. Now on with the show! **

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Chapter 7: Breakfast with the Fentons 

The hunter flew through empty green space known as the Ghost Zone, with his recent capture in tow. He observed his surroundings as he passed by. This part of the infinite space was even more desolate than others. The glow that seemed prevalent in this dimension seemed to change its hue the further he flew; from the normal green of common ectoplasm to an ominous, fiery red. His destination, a lone land mass, finally came into view. Rivers of magma flowed through spiky, jagged rocks that covered the landscape. Fire pits spewed flames in regular intervals into the air. In the center of it all was a castle, carved of the same black volcanic rock that surrounded it. He landed and promptly entered the building.

Even with his advanced armor protecting him, the ghost could feel the heat emanating from the center chamber. He knew that if he spent too much time here, he would go insane. Even the flame on his own head was nothing compared to the flames within. He arrived at the center chamber, to his master. The hunter kneeled down immediately. In front of him was a wall of flame, concealing his master from view. Even with this, he could feel the piercing glare, which seemed to raise the temperature even further, if that was even possible.

"Do you have him?" a voice behind the flames asked. He nodded, placing in front of him the cage which he had been carrying. Inside it was none other than the Box Ghost, who was cowering in fear.

"You failed me, Box Ghost," the voice proclaimed ominously. The Box Ghost shook in fright before he tried to defend himself.

"It was not m-my fault, M-Master," he stuttered. "Someone stood in my way…"

"I sent you to do one simple task," the voice interrupted, its volume rising with every word. "I gave you the power to complete this task. Who was it that was strong enough to stand in your way?!" As his anger rose, so did the flames that concealed him. The Box Ghost tried desperately to get as far away from the fire as possible. The heat was unbearable as he huddled in the far side of the cage.

"The gem," he answered meekly. The flames, as quickly as they flared up, died down to their original height. The Box Ghost wasn't sure he was happy or scared that he was still in one piece.

"The Gem is in the city?" the malevolent being asked. The box-obsessed specter nodded. The voice was quiet for a moment. He didn't have to search far for her after all. The silence didn't last for long as the chamber was soon filled with maniacal laughter. Both the hunter and the Box Ghost shuddered at the sound.

"Very well. Free him," he commanded. His servant obliged and soon the Box Ghost was free from his bondage. He was glad that he wasn't punished for his failure. That is, until he heard the next sentence. "You services are no longer required."

His eyes went wide as made a break for the exit. Unfortunately, it was already too late. A column of fire sprang forth from the wall of flame and quickly overtook the fleeing ghost. His screams echoed the castle before they suddenly ceased. With that out of the way, the master turned his attention to the hunter, who witnessed the event without uttering a word, for fear that he would suffer the same fate.

"His mission is now yours," he stated simply. "Find me those items. And in addition, I want you to test the gem for me."

"You don't want her captured?" the hunter asked carefully. He didn't want to anger his master any further.

"Not yet. I want to see how powerful she is," the voice answered. His servant nodded and flew off to capture its prey.

"You think Skulky will be able to handle the task?' another voice, very feminine in nature, asked. A column of smoke and fire appeared in the chamber. All that could be seen through the billowing cloud was a large smile, like that of a Cheshire cat.

"I want you to be there if he can't," the master answered. "It's of little consequence if he does fail. I have many more where he came from."

"As you command, father," she replied as the cloud dissipated into nothing.

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Morning came too quickly for many of the inhabitants and visitors of the tower. For some, however, it couldn't come soon enough. Jack Fenton was one of the first to wake up. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, he was ready to face a day of ghost hunting and trying out new gadgets. He pried his sleepy wife out of bed, wanting to start their hunt of the ghosts haunting the city immediately. His priorities changed, however once his stomach spoke up, loudly. Not one to say no to food, Jack exited the room into the hallway and went in search of food. Maddie followed, rubbing sleep out of her eyes, not wanting her husband to get lost in their unfamiliar surroundings.

The kitchen wasn't hard to find, as the smell of breakfast was already wafting in the air. The couple followed their noses till they arrived at the source. Cyborg, along with his recent pupil turned assistant, Raven, were preparing a breakfast large enough to serve nine people. Any and every type of breakfast food was being made to feed their guests. While Raven was scrambling eggs, Cyborg was flipping his famous flapjacks and was sizzling bacon. Maddie offered a helping hand to the two teens.

"It's alright, Mrs. Fenton," replied Cyborg. "We got it covered."

"I insist," the older woman answered, her motherly instincts kicking in. She donned a matching apron and proceeded to help them in making the meal. Jack, while no one was looking, tried to sneak in a taste. As soon as his hand got closer, it was slapped promptly by his wife, who swiftly shooed him away from the busy kitchen.

Robin and Starfire came in, hand in hand. Maddie and Raven both smiled, a knowing look in both their eyes as the young couple stare at each other intently. Cyborg feigned disgust as he cooked, hoping to tease them after he was done with the preparations. Robin and Starfire headed towards the table, until Star realized Mr. Fenton was in the room. She timidly stepped back behind Robin, placing him between her and Jack. Robin chuckled under his breathe at the recent phobia of his girlfriend.

"It's alright, Star," Robin said, trying to ease her discomfort. "He's not going to hurt you."

"I do not wish to be covered in the green foam again. It was most disgusting," Starfire squeaked from behind him.

"Don't worry about Jack, dear," Maddie chimed in. "He's just one big teddy bear."

"Are not bears large, ferocious creatures on this planet?" Starfire asked, even more wary. Jack's shoulders drooped slightly.

Danny came in to the kitchen next. Unlike everyone else, he seemed unaffected by the lack of sleep. He was used living of very little sleep due to his late night activities. As a matter of fact, he woke up quite early that morning. As Phantom, he mapped the Tower, noting all the bathrooms and other places he could transform without being seen or caught on camera. He also made note of all the Titan's rooms and various points of interest. 'Know thy enemy' as the saying went. He sat at a seat apart from everyone else, reading the 'Almanac's Guide to the Supernatural'. Maddie's eyebrows crinkled slightly while Raven glanced quizzically.

Raven knew whatever problems Danny was having was none of her business, but he still intrigued her. He was an enigma; a mystery that strangely enough seemed all too familiar to her. The fact that his behavior was so similar to her own a few months ago seemed to increase her curiosity of the boy. She wondered what could have caused him to act the way he did. Contrary to their unusual occupation, the Fentons seemed to care for their son, if the worrying still emanating from the mother and Jazz were any indication. She wondered if he had any friends at all. She couldn't imagine what her life would have been like if she had never met the other Titans. If she even would have a life. The Titans were the only family she had left.

"Hey Rae!" called Cyborg. "The eggs are burning!" Cyborg's warning woke her from her reverie as she tried to save the eggs from result of her neglect. She glanced over at Robin. He, too, was keeping an eye on the younger Fenton. There something he couldn't quite pinpoint about him. Just then, Jazz came in yawning and scratching her stomach.

"Has anyone seen…" she started until she spotted her brother in the corner. "Never mind." She was alarmed this morning to find his bed empty and was relieved that he was alright. She walked over to the kitchen table with her father. She was a bit startled to see her mother helping out with the cooking: her mother had a tendency to mix food with ghost hunting, which led to leftovers attacking them literally. She was relieved to see that none of her mother's ecto-enhanced cooking equipment was in the kitchen.

A green bloodhound was the last to enter the kitchen as it sniffed its way to breakfast. It morphed into a famished Beast Boy, who stumbled into the kitchen, until he realized what was being cooked.

"MEAT?!" he cried, outraged. "Come on, Cy. That's disgusting!"

"What's disgusting is that tofu crud you're always eating. Meat is part of a balanced breakfast, especially when there's lots of it," Cyborg countered, while he sizzled some bacon. Beast Boy looked ready to continue the argument until he realized Robin was glaring at him menacingly. Remembering what Robin said yesterday about being polite in front of their guests, he backed down. Raven promptly plopped down a tofu-centric breakfast in front of him. Any outrage he had was now overtaken by hunger as he began to ingest his meal.

Danny flinched visibly from the argument. It was overly reminiscent of the arguments Tucker and Sam would have over food. Sam being an outgoing ultrarecyclovegatarian and Tucker being a meat lover, they would but heads during every meal, usually with Danny in the middle. Danny shook his head, trying in vain to disperse the waves of nostalgia and regret. Jazz glanced at her brother, seeing the conflict on his face. She felt torn watching his face contort slightly. She wished she could help him but at the same time was relieved he showed regret for isolating himself. Danny quickly straightened out his face, showing as little emotion as possible. He had to focus. The sooner he figured out whatever was happening here, the sooner he could return to and protect his city.

As everyone finished their meal, Jazz jumped slightly from her seat. Something soft and small had rubbed up against her leg during the meal, startling her. She looked down to see who or what it was. She suddenly let out a blood curdling scream as she jumped up, falling back along with her chair. A caterpillar the size of a cat was latched onto her leg, making happy noises as it rubbed against her.

"GHOST!" Jack Fenton screamed as an ecto-blaster was already in hand. Maddie Fenton was next to her husband, weapon also in hand, ready for anything.

"Please, don't shoot my little Silkie!" cried and exasperated Starfire. She flew over to the creature and outstretched her hands. Upon seeing her, the caterpillar squeaked in delight and jumped into her waiting arms. "Are you alright, my little bumgorf?" she cooed as she rubbed its belly. Its stubby legs wiggled in delight. All four Fentons watched the scene unfold in morbid curiosity.

"Wha-what is that?" asked Jazz, finally shaking off her initial shock.

"This is my little bumgorf, Silkie," Starfire said nonchalantly. "He is a genetically modified mutated killer moth larva. Isn't he adorable?" she explained as if it was completely normal to dote on a mutant larva. Cyborg and Beast Boy glanced at each other with silly grins on their faces, trying desperately to hide their amusement. Raven hid a smile at the reaction of their guests. She tried suppressed a chuckle when someone let one out of their own, albeit discreetly. She turned in the direction of the quiet laughter to find Danny, who was just moments before brooding, was now chuckling at the plight of his older sister. She was glad that at least he had a sense of humor, albeit a morbid one.

"Now that we're done with breakfast," started Robin, interrupting the commotion. Everyone stopped what they were doing and focused their attention at the boy wonder. "We can get down to business." Maddie nodded, her facing turning serious.

"We are going to need a detailed account on the ghost you encountered," Maddie said, pulling out a notepad and digital voice recorder. The titans looked at each other warily as Robin began recounting their meeting with the ghost in the warehouse. The Titans had decided before hand to leave out any connection between Raven and Trigon. They never told the city government or the media that Trigon was Raven's father. Despite her growing openness, Raven was still probably the most private of the team and they all respected her privacy, especially when it came to her parentage. They did, however, explain how the artifact was related to Trigon. The Fentons listened intently to the encounter. Danny was sitting in the corner, pretending to read his book.

"The ghost attacked using crates from the warehouse," Robin said halfway through his description. Jazz suddenly began spraying the coffee she had been drinking out of her mouth in surprise.

"He used boxes? What did he look like?" she asked fervently. Danny's eyebrow rose from behind the book her was reading.

"Looked like a warehouse worker. Skullcap, overalls, boots," Cyborg described.

"And he said 'beware' a whole lot," chimed in Beast Boy. Both Jazz and her mother had confused looks on their faces while Jack's face lit up.

"Sounds like that annoying ghost from back home!" Jack bellowed excitedly.

"But that can't be right," Jazz responded. "It doesn't sound like him." It was the Titans' turn to wear confused looks. "Box Ghost is a regular spook in our town. He's annoying but mostly harmless."

"Tell that to the two guys he flattened," Cyborg interjected. Jazz blanched at the mental image.

"If it is the same ghost, what could have caused him to change so much?" Maddie questioned.

"He did mention a master. We think someone else is controlling him," Robin answered. "Whoever it is either connected to or is at least interested in Trigon and the order of Skath."

"First thing we need to do is examine the scene of the crime, so to speak," Maddie stated.

"That's actually a good idea. The curator called this morning. He has the inventory of the warehouse," Robin agreed. "Raven is our magic expert. She and I are going. You should come as well, Mrs. Fenton."

"I'm coming!" Jack called, bazooka already in hand.

"You stay here, Jack," Maddie disagreed. Jack's face fell. "If anything happens here, you can hold up the fort. Besides, you can teach the rest of the Titans about ghosts and our weapons." Jack's face gleamed once again.

"I can blab on and on about ghosts!" he exclaimed. Cyborg and Beast Boy shared worried looks. Jazz looked highly embarrassed, hiding her face behind her hands. Starfire floated over to Robin.

"May I come with you, Robin? I do not wish to be…" Starfire began, nodding involuntarily to Jack. Robin smiled understandingly.

"Sure, Star. You can come along too as back-up," Robin agreed. Starfire squealed and hugged her boyfriend tightly while he blushed. Raven rolled her eyes at the lovebirds' open display of affection. The four of them headed towards the elevator leading to the garage. As they headed out, Jack pulled out a large suitcase that seemed to come out of nowhere. With a glint in his eye, he opened it, revealing a slew of various ghost hunting equipment. Cyborg and Beast Boy gulped as the large man began his blabbing about his many inventions.

Jazz looked on at the scene, extremely embarrassed at her dad's behavior. With everyone busy, she found this her chance to try and talk to Danny and hopefully help him. She turned to see what he was doing, only to find he was nowhere to be found. She sighed. He wasn't going to follow them, was he?

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Danny Phantom flew overhead as he followed the Fenton RV to its destination: the warehouse district. When the vehicle parked, he became invisible and phased into the warehouse they entered. He kept his distance so he wouldn't trigger his mom's ghost hunting equipment. Landing on the rafters above, he thought about the Titans description of the ghost attack. Although it was definitely the Box Ghost they were describing, it made no sense.

Out of all the ghosts Phantom had ever faced, the Box Ghost was the least threatening of all. Like most ghosts, he had an obsession, which was evident by his name. Though he did haunt a few places, he never really hurt anyone. He was more of a nuisance than anything else. His normal MO would be to haunt box related locations (warehouses, Post offices, etc). When confronted he would normally monologue his intentions of ruling a world where boxes were in control. Though he provided some problems when Danny was just a rookie, it didn't take more than 30 seconds to defeat him nowadays.

The way the Titans described him was different. They alleged that he was actually dangerous, and vicious. He wanted to attribute their account to their inexperience with handling ghosts. They admitted they couldn't handle just one measly ghost, and the Box Ghost no less... When it came to ghost hunting they were the rookies and he was the pro. The Box ghost could never do the things they said he did… Not the current Box Ghost. Danny's mind wandered back to that other timeline where he met a more hardened Box Ghost who probably would have no qualms killing anyone. In that same timeline where Danny was evil…

Images of his evil self flashed in his mind again. "I'm not gonna turn into that!" he mumbled to himself, trying to find comfort in his own words. He had to focus on his mission. He had to protect his mom while she was on the field just in case any ghost did appear. His mind now focused he thought back to the meeting that morning. After giving lies to cover his tracks many times before, he had a good feeling the Titans were hiding something. He could tell there was some information they weren't telling his parents about their fight and about what they knew about Trigon. Finding out what it was they were hiding was going to be his top priority. He looked down as his Mother and the three Titans, Robin, Raven and Starfire met with someone below.

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"Professor Marcus!" Robin called. The professor was busy directing the movement of the museum's boxes inside the warehouse. Various workers were moving the delicate artifacts, some by hand and others by forklifts, and followed the commands of the British curator. Upon hearing his name being called, the professor turned to his guests.

"Robin! So glad you can make it," he greeted as he shook hands with the boy wonder. Robin turned to the rest of his party.

"You know Starfire and Raven," Robin introduced. Starfire gave a heartwarming smile while Raven just nodded. "And this is Maddie Fenton. She's a paranormal investigator we called in to deal with our little problem." Maddie and Prof. Marcus shook as they exchanged hellos.

"I hope you can help us. The bugger left quite a bit of a mess," Prof. Marcus stated, pointing towards the yellow tape that still closed off a section of the warehouse. A dried blood stain could be seen from behind the boundary.

Maddie nodded, her face suddenly turning serious. She already had a spectral analyzer in hand, ready to get to work. "Can someone show me where the ghost attacked?" she asked. Robin nodded to Starfire, who motioned Maddie to follow her. He then turned back towards the Professor.

"You said the inventory was finished?" Robin asked the curator.

"Yes, right this way, then," the middle-aged British man replied. "It took my boys quite a bit of time getting things in order. Hopefully you can find out what the spook was looking for."

"So do I," Raven muttered as they entered another section of the building. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the daunting pile of books that lay in front of her. On the side were crates filled with various artifacts.

"Hope you can make heads or tails out of it," the doctor hoped. "Half these books are in languages I never knew existed."

Raven took a deep breathe and began to skim through the literature. She found there were indeed a vast variety of languages included, ranging from ancient Cimmerian to Latin. And that was from the man-made languages. Many of the tomes were in languages she barely recognized, most likely from other planets and dimensions. Though some were books on ancient history, many were spell books. Each one had the potential to wreak havoc and destruction if left in the wrong hands. Finding the one the ghost was looking for was going to be near impossible: like looking for a needle in a stack of needles.

She continued to browse, finding the search more and more futile until something caught her eye. One of the books stood out from all the rest. From out of all the books, this was the first one she saw that was written in a language she knew all too well: Azarian. The language of her dimension. It was leather-bound and simply had the title "Book of Spells" written on the cover. She opened the book only to find however blank pages.

"Find something?" the boy wonder asked, breaking Raven's reverie. She nodded, holding up the book in her hand. He walked over next to her.

"This has to be it," Raven imposed. Robin frowned upon seeing the blank pages.

"You know I trust you judgment, Raven, but why would he be looking for a blank book?" Robin queried.

"The cover is in Azarian, just like the tattoos on the ghost," Raven answered. "And the book isn't blank. It's just hidden." She placed her hand over the book and extended her powers out towards it. She felt a tingle of magic coming from it, confirming her suspension. "They used magic to hide the writing."

"I had a feeling it might be that one," interjected Prof. Marcus. Both Titans turned towards him. "That one is cursed."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Robin curiously.

"The excavators found it in a wall of the lower levels of the Library. Once they found it there was a cave in that blocked the lower levels. Only one man and that book made it out." Robin and Raven cringed. "It gives most of us the willies. So if you're planning on taking away that thing, be my guest."

"You really think this is all he was looking for?" Robin asked discreetly.

"I'm almost positive this what he wanted. I can't tell if it was the only thing, though," the sorceress answered. "Everything here is potentially dangerous. If anything, it'll slow down whoever is looking for it."

"Let's see what Mrs. Fenton and Star found, then," Robin declared, satisfied they accomplished something. They thanked Prof. Marcus and headed off to the scene of the ghost attack.

Meanwhile Starfire watched in fascination as Maddie Fenton scanned the area for any clues. Her hood and goggles were now over her head, a sign she was focused and determined. As she continued her survey, Starfire spotted her friends coming to join them.

"Raven, Robin! I trust your search yielded results?" asked the orange alien girl. Raven held up the book they had found.

"We think this is what he was looking for," Raven answered.

"Glorious! We shall be able to solve this mystery soon, yes?" exclaimed Starfire jubilantly.

"We're not sure about that yet, Star," Robin replied. "Have you found anything, Mrs. Fenton?" Maddie pulled off her hood and frowned.

"I was able to get plenty of readings. But they're baffling to say the least," the older woman replied.

"How so, Mrs. Fenton," asked Starfire curiously.

"Have a look," Maddie replied, showing them her instrument. "This is a Spectral wavelength analyzer. Jack and I invented it a few months back. It measures the distinct ectoplasmic pattern of a ghost. It helps us to identify which ghost is which."

"So it reads ghost DNA?" Robin deduced.

"You can say that. Actually according to Jazz it's more analogous to brainwaves," Maddie explained. "Which if you think about it makes perfect sense. A ghost is normally created by strong emotions of a person imprinted onto ectoplasm. So it'd make sense a ghost's 'DNA' would be brain waves."

"So there's something weird about this ghost's patterns?" asked Raven. She had a bad feeling about where this was going.

"Yes. It's almost as if there were two signatures here," Maddie answered. "Are you sure there was only one ghost?" The Titans nodded in reply.

"So there were two ghosts that night?" Robin asked. Maddie shook her head.

"Normally I'd say yes but the way they are interacting is what troubles me," she clarified. She pointed to the screen where two wave patterns were on screen. One was colored orange while the other blue. "They're overlapping. This orange one seems to be almost overshadowing and influencing the other one. I've never seen anything like it."

"So it was being controlled by another ghost?" Raven asked, her face blanching slightly. Could it have been the ghost of her father?

"It's the first time I've heard of such a thing, but it looks like it. I'll need to confer with Jack to see what he thinks," Maddie answered.

"We should head back to the tower," Robin declared. "Whatever is in that book is the key to this. We'll also need a battle plan incase we bump into another ghost."

"Jack and Jazz should already be starting demonstrating our weapons to the others," Maddie concurred. They all headed back to the RV.

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

The ride back to the tower was a quiet one. Robin sat in front with Mrs. Fenton, exchanging theories and ideas on their next plan of action. Meanwhile, Raven and Starfire sat in the back. Raven had an anxious look on her face, as she mulled over the mystery they were trying to solve.

"A copper coin for your brain activity?" asked Starfire. Raven had to smile at Starfire's misuse of Earth idioms.

"Its 'a penny for your thoughts', Star," Raven replied. She sighed before continuing. "I think its Trigon. It has to be."

"But there is no proof to prove that assumption," Starfire countered. "You defeated him."

"But you heard what Mrs. Fenton said. It was another ghost controlling that one we fought," she said wearily. "What if he came back as a ghost? What if he's stronger and I can't stop him?"

"We will defeat him or whoever it is we shall fight," Starfire reassured. "We'll win because we are stronger together than we ever could apart." Starfire tried to put extra emphasis on 'we'. The last thing they needed was Raven trying to do everything on her own.

Before Raven could respond the lights in the RV suddenly flashed green. A voice sounded from the speakers of the vehicle, "Proximity Alert! Ghost detected!" Everything suddenly became chaotic as the van lurched to the side. Loose items tumbled around as the RV began to flip over. The Fenton RV finally skidded to a stop, upside down.

"Is everybody ok?" Robin asked. Luckily, everyone was wearing their seatbelts: they were all hanging upside down from their seats.

"I am unharmed," Starfire replied. She looked over to Raven. "Are you undamaged, Raven?"

"I'll live," Raven replied. She unbuckled herself and used her powers to float safely to the ceiling (now turned floor). They were all able to open the doors and climb out of the vehicle.

"What hit us?" Robin asked Mrs. Fenton. Before she could reply, Raven pointed towards the street.

"I think you should ask that," She said in a sarcastic tone. Various tentacles protruded from the street in front of them. Whatever they were attached to began rising from underground. In a few moments they were confronted with a very large green ghost octopus. It gave a deafening wail as it eyed the four menacingly.

"I believe the correct term for this situation is 'oh shit?" Starfire asked. The others looked at her, dumb founded.

"I think that's pretty accurate, Star," Raven agreed.

* * *

**Authors Notes: Thank you all who wrote comments. If I didn't get to you before, I'll get to you eventually. Special thanks to Me the Anon One for once again kicking me in the butt :p. Hidden Author who's story inspires me and keeps me going. And all my fans who've taken the time to comment: Warrior of winds,.teenyugiohpotterphantom, katiesparks,southernstarshadow, the fat ninja, Pieling, phantomshadowdragon, Tetsukon, AirGirl Phantom, petals and keyblades, dragon-game, Sweeteen19, HiddenAuthor, Shiva the Sarcastic, Mr. Snuffles,.Nonasuki-chan, and Mako-Magic. You guys so Rock.  
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**Also: I now have 99 reviews. Next one who reviews will be 100 and will get a special prize.**

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**See you next chapter!**

** -Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron (Now with more Funk!)  
**


	9. Chapter 8: Friend or Foe?

**Hey, everyone. I'd like to apologize to all my loyal readers for making you wait another month for this story. I had a severe case of writer's block. Action sequences are always so hard to write, so I got stuck. Really stuck. Even after rewrites I still think this chapter isn't as good as some of the others. So I don't blame you if you think it stinks a little.**

**I Thank you all for sticking by me. My story hit over 10,000 hits, and 124 reviews, which is encouraging. I definitely want to get these chapters out more often. I think you'll be please with what i got in store.**

** Oh, and in this chapter, you finally get to see one of my Oc creations. **

** Enjoy**.

* * *

Chapter 8: Friend or Foe? 

"And this is the Fenton Ghost weasel! It captures ghosts with its Fenton patented suction system!" explained an excited Jack Fenton as he showed off another invention to his audience. Cyborg and Beast Boy we stuck between a rock and a hard place as they forced to listen to the man's rantings about ghosts and ghost related fighting equipment. Jazz stood in the sidelines, trying desperately to tone down her father's excited behavior, but to no avail.

"Isn't that just a vacuum cleaner with the word 'Fenton' on it?" asked Beast Boy, finding the courage to speak. Both Jazz and Cyborg looked back and forth between Beast Boy and Jack, not sure on how Jack would react.

"That's what we want the ghosts to think!" he answered nonchalantly. Jazz smacked her forehead for the umpteenth time. She looked at Cyborg apologetically and shrugged. He smiled at the sentiment as the elder Fenton continued his fervent and proud explanations of his (and his wife's) various creations. In truth he found some of their ideas and concepts to be fascinating while others to be completely off the wall. Mr. Fenton's almost childlike behavior didn't help the matter much. Finding the nerve to speak, he finally decided to do something about it.

"Uhh, Mr. F?" he asked. "Your inventions are really interesting and all but could just have a short break? It's been almost 2 hours."

"You can never learn enough about ghosts," Jack said matter of factly, baffled that his audience wanted to take a break from such a fascinating topic.

"You know, dad," Jazz stepped in. "I think mom left some fudge in the kitchen." Jack's eyes glazed over slightly at the thought of his wife's home made fudge.

"Class dismissed!" he hollered as he rushed to the kitchen to claim his prize. Cyborg and Beast Boy watched the man move faster than any person his size should have moved. They turned back to Jazz, who had a satisfied smirk on her face.

"You could have that done a lot sooner, you know," said Cyborg. Her smirk grew even wider.

"Could have. But I was having too much fun seeing you guys squirm," she replied.

"I don't know about you but I'm outta here," Beast Boy declared as he made his escape before Jack Fenton returned. Transforming into a ferret, he climbed into one of the air ducts, leaving Jazz and Cyborg alone in the main room. They were silent for a few moments before Jazz spoke.

"They do work, you know," Jazz said suddenly. Cyborg looked at her questioningly. "Their inventions, I mean. I saw that look on your face when my dad was off on his ghost tangent. Well, actually, they mostly work. Some of their stuff still has a few kinks in them." Cyborg chuckled at the last part.

"Your dad seems very…energetic about ghosts," Cyborg put it lightly.

"He gets like that sometimes. He really is a genius, though," Jazz replied. "Both my parents are. Though I question their sanity sometimes. It's ironic, actually. I spent most of my life trying to distance myself from my parent's wacky ideas about ghosts. And yet here I am, helping them."

"What changed?" Cyborg asked thoughtfully.

"Ghosts actually showed up, what else?" she answered. "It's hard to dispute the existence of ghosts when they are trying to attack you. It was actually a good thing, really. I've been able to help them a bit recently."

"Sounds interesting," Cyborg said, finding himself quite fascinated by Jazz's perspective. He wasn't sure if it was the topic or the speaker he found more interesting, though. "What kind of stuff have you been working on?"

"Well, I've been trying to get my parent's to see ghosts from a psychological perspective," she answered, excited someone was actually interested in what she had to say. "I was able to help them find a new way to track and study ghosts through their spectral signature."

"Spectral signature?" Cyborg queried.

"Well, the basic theory of ghosts is that they are imprints of a person's psyche or strong emotion in energy form, ectoplasm," Jazz began explaining. "So their ghost consciousness should have a signature similar to brain waves. It stronger as the ghost gets stronger and should be unique for every ghost. Sort of like their DNA. So not only can you get a better understanding of a ghost's state, you could also tell which ghost is which."

"That could come in handy," Cyborg commented. "That was pretty smart to make the connection." Jazz blushed.

"Oh, no it was nothing," she stammered, embarrassed. "I'm majoring in psychology this fall so I had a unique perspective. We're still trying to figure out whether there is any correlation with a spectral signature and a ghost's abilities. I think if we understand them better, it'll make stopping them a lot easier." Cyborg nodded intently, captivated by Jazz's words. Jazz continued her explanation, worries of her brother now long forgotten.

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

The ecto-pus roared again, its voice rattling windows and setting off car alarms. Innocent bystanders, long since used to emergencies such as these, made their hasty retreat, leaving the monster for the Titans to battle. The four eyes of the beast focused its sights on the three Teen Titans and one ghost hunter who were poised and ready to attack.

"Titans! Scatter!" Robin called to his team as they followed his orders. They jumped out of the way just as numerous tentacles smashed into the spot they had just occupied. Raven and Starfire (who was holding Maddie Fenton) took to the air while Robin somersaulted backwards till he landed on top of a nearby car. Starfire placed Maddie behind the same car, and then floated next to her beau.

"How do we defeat such a creature?" Starfire asked warily, their defeat in the last attack still fresh in her memory. Maddie, ecto-gun already in hand, placed a hand on Starfire's shoulder.

"Don't worry, dear," she answered in a motherly tone, "I'll handle this," she finished, the tone now replaced by a serious one. Training her gun on the massive ghost, she flipped over the car they were hiding behind and began shooting. The other Titans were shocked for a moment by the woman's bravado, but quickly shook it off.

"Raven, back her up. You're the only one who seems to have any effect on the ghosts," Robin ordered.

"I'm on it," she answered as she went off to provide some support. "Lucky me," she muttered under her breathe. She watched as Maddie fired at the ghost while deftly evading its tentacle attacks. Raven was impressed on how the woman moved so fast. As it missed her yet again, the ghost hit a car, detonating it on impact. Seeing an opportunity, Raven used her dark powers to levitate the flaming wreckage and hurled it at the beast. The impromptu projectile, still incased in her dark magic, hit the creature, causing it to wail and retreat slightly. Raven was satisfied with her success as she confirmed a theory. Her powers seemed to have an effect on ghosts, so as long as she kept the influence of her dark magic on any object when it hit, she could hurt them.

Maddie was also impressed by Raven's attack. She planned on asking Raven a few things on her powers and to study how much an effect it had on ectoplasm. But the battle wasn't over yet. The monster, now even more enraged, advanced once again, flinging its tentacles around menacingly. Raven looked around, looking for anything that would dent the beast. She spotted a tall light post that had fallen due to the attack. Surrounding it in dark energy, she lifted it high into the air and straight down onto the ghost. The lamppost cut through the specter like a hot knife through butter, splitting it into two quivering masses of ectoplasm. Raven sighed in relief. She flew down towards Mrs. Fenton. She suddenly heard a gasp from Starfire's direction and turned to where she was pointing.

The two blobs of ectoplasm were quivering violently. Tentacles began sprouting from both until there were not one but two ecto-pusses glaring menacingly.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Raven asked sardonically. Before Maddie could answer, one of the newly formed ghosts lashed out. Raven couldn't react in time as she was knocked out of the sky by a green tentacle. Maddie ran towards the fallen Titan, bazooka in hand. She tried to drive them off with a few shots, but it only served to irritate the beasts. Starfire flew at breakneck speed to her friends, trying to get there in time.

Raven tried shaking off the shock of her sudden unexpected landing. She looked up to see the ghosts readying an attack. She tried focusing her powers to form a shield to protect her and Mrs. Fenton but her recent fall still left her in an unfocused daze. She closed her eyes as numerous tentacles leapt forwards like missiles, closing in on her. She waited for the strike…

And felt nothing. She waited a few moments more, wondering why she hadn't felt anything. She opened one eye, daring to peak. It took a few moments to register what she saw. She and Mrs. Fenton were surrounded by the eerie glow of some sort of green energy shield. The shield was what was currently keeping them safe from the giant specters as they began to beat on it incessantly. Her attention, however, was focused to the figure that shared the shield with them.

She recognized his features instantly: jet black jumpsuit, accented by white gloves, boots and collar. The wild snowy white hair. It was the ghost boy that she had seen in briefing the Titans had a few days ago. Phantom. But he looked different. The picture that she had seen was that of a young teenage boy. The figure that floated in front of her was much different. His frame, though still lean, was more defined than the picture she had seen. He also seemed to be much taller than she had imagined.

His hands were raised as he maintained the shield that kept them safe from the ghosts outside. He turned his head to her as he continued to protect them. His neon green eyes seemed to burrow holes into her soul. The intensity of his gaze left her speechless for a few moments.

"You ok?" he asked suddenly. The abrupt question left her hesitant. The girl who always seemed to have a sarcastic remark at the tip of her tongue had nothing to say. She simply nodded.

"We're fine," Maddie Fenton replied. Raven, remembering she wasn't alone, turned to Mrs. Fenton. The older woman eyed Phantom reluctantly. It had been a long time since she had been this close to him. He had been unusually reclusive the past year. Maddie and Jack had long since agreed to an unspoken ceasefire with the ghost boy, as long as he was helping in driving the other ghosts away. She too noticed the difference in him. Ghosts' changing their appearance wasn't unheard of, but it was very uncommon. Most times it happened when a ghost reached a certain level of power. But for Phantom, it seemed he was actually growing like a living person. It only made Maddie even more curious of the ghost.

Phantom only nodded, and then focused his attention back on the threats outside. The Ecto-pusses were still bashing on the shield, hoping to find a weak spot to exploit. Raven noticed only a hint of discomfort as Phantom stood his ground. His hands suddenly grew brighter with emerald ghost energy as the shield that protected them unexpectedly expanded. It spread in all directions, taking the spirits by surprise and knocking them back several blocks. Starfire and Robin hid behind a car as the wave of energy damaged everything in its wake. Several windows and lampposts shattered under the onslaught. The energy finally dissipated, leaving broken glass and cracked concrete in the aftermath.

Starfire and Robin, seeing they were relatively safe for now, left their hiding spot and advanced towards the others. Starfire immediately wrapped her arms around Raven in one of her signature bone-crushing hugs.

"Raven!" she squealed. "I am so happy you have not purchased the land of agriculture!"

"Star… can't breathe,' Raven was able to mutter. Starfire let go apologetically. She then turned towards Phantom.

"I thank most wholeheartedly for protecting my friends!" Starfire exclaimed cheerfully. "I hope that we can be allies in the fu…" She stopped abruptly as Phantom held up one finger. He glanced towards where he had blasted the enemy. Turning back to the Titans, he looked at Robin and simply uttered the following:

"Just stay out of my way." And with that he shot like a bullet towards the enemy.

"Real friendly," Raven said, her monotonic voice dripping in sarcasm.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Danny had been careless. After his mom and the Titans left the warehouse, he decided to have a look around of his own. During his mom's sweep of the building, he felt something. He couldn't quite place it, but his ghost sensed a familiar presence that wasn't completely the same. By the time he had a chance to investigate further, the feeling disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. After coming up empty, he went to catch up with the Fenton Assault Vehicle.

He was relieved that he was able to show up in time to protect his mother. When he had arrived, the Fenton RV was overturned and he found two larger than normal Ecto-pusses attacking his mother and that dark girl, Raven. But even with their larger than normal size, he was able to hold them back and add some distance.

At the moment he was speeding towards where he has blasted them off to. He could see the ghosts were not too happy that their meal was interrupted. As they shook off the effects of the attack, one of them was suddenly slammed into a nearby building by a small white and black blur. The blur had hit it right in the eye, which caused it to bellow in pain. Danny stopped in mid flight and turned towards the other ecto-pus. He held out his hand and motioned for it to come get him. The ecto-pus was glad to oblige as it shot its tentacles at the ghost teen.

Unfortunately, it hit nothing but air. Phantom had deftly dodged the rapidly moving appendages. It tried again to attack its new prey, but its effort was met with the same result. The ghost boy simply dodged each attack, without even breaking out a sweat. He mocked the large beast by yawning, which infuriated it even more.

"Is that the best you got?" Phantom teased. He dodged left as another tentacle sailed passed him. He performed a backwards flip as another one tried to swipe him from the right. Backing up, he smirked, and then motioned the ghost to once again to attack. Its eyes went red with rage but surprisingly, it didn't attack. Behind him, the first ghost he had attacked was now ready to pounce, its eye pulsing in pain. It lunged forward, hoping to catch the ghost-teen by surprise.

It was the ecto-pus who was caught by surprise as Phantom simply went intangible, anticipating the creature's moves. Phantom grabbed a tentacle before the creature flew out of his reach and began to spin him around at high speeds. He finally let the disoriented ghost go, sending it towards its octopodal brethren. Both ghosts slammed into another building, causing the two to once again melt into one ecto-pus. It glared at Phantom in contempt and then simply phased through the ground.

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

Raven, along with the other Titans and Mrs. Fenton watched as the battle unfolded between Phantom and the larger ghost creature. They all had the same question at the back of their minds: why was he here and why was he helping them? Raven could feel a wave of emotion and thought hitting her all at once from the others as they observed the two ghosts clash.

From Robin she felt suspicion and an air of caution. Phantom was a mystery to decipher; he could be either friend of foe. She knew he was analyzing the ghost, assessing his fighting abilities and powers. She could tell Robin was impressed by Phantoms speed and agility; he seemed to be a very skilled fighter. But the ghost definitely didn't seem like a team player. Robin's overprotective behavior towards his team took over as he tried to figure out whether Phantom could be trusted.

Raven could also pick up Starfire's usual state of glee. Raven knew Star was always overjoyed to meet new people and make new friends. The alien girl saw Phantom as a potential ally and possible Titan. But at the same time, Starfire also shared Robin's caution. The Titans had been betrayed by allies before. She wished that history did not repeat itself in this case.

Maddie Fenton's thoughts intrigued Raven the most. Maddie was fascinated by Phantom's change from when she last saw him battle. He was much faster than before. A ghost like him shouldn't be this powerful. He also looked different, as if he was actually growing like a human. Mrs. Fenton's stray thoughts interested Raven. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing that Phantom had so much power.

"Is the battle over?" Starfire asked as the spectral creature vanished into the ground.

"Not sure, Star," Robin replied. "Something doesn't feel right. Raven, see if you can track its movements."

Raven nodded, and then filtered out all the mental noise around her to try and track the ecto-pus. As she extended her reach, she accidentally brushed the mind of Phantom. She could feel his determination to protect…Mrs. Fenton? That can't be right. Why did he want to protect her so earnestly? And what was this pain she felt from him, almost like a gaping hole in his mind. She could feel that he had been through a great deal of pain and trauma. The pain was so much that she quickly broke the link.

She shook her head and tried once again to track down the ghost. She searched the area with her mind till her mind was hit with another wave of emotion, except this one was more raw and animalistic. She could feel the rage and bloodlust as the creature readied itself to attack its unsuspecting prey. It was going to make that meddlesome boy pay for interfering with its hunt.

It's thoughts of retribution were so strong that it caused Raven to falter. Her eyes opened with start as she broke the connection before it drove her mad. Robin, seeing her disorientation, caught her before she fell. She tried to calm herself down, but the thoughts of that ghost still echoed in her mind. She had to warn Phantom. Finding the strength in herself, she donned her hood as she proceeded to fly in the direction of the ghost Teen,

"Raven, wait!" Robin called out in vain as the girl sped off.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Danny had the ghost right where he wanted him.

He smirked as he prepared for the next attack. He feigned ignorance over the ecto-pus's behavior, but he knew exactly where it was. During his training, he not only focused on speed and strength, but on his ghost sense as well. His ghost sense was one of his most handy powers. It worked as an early detection system for ghosts. The blue mist that escaped from his mouth alerted him whenever a ghost appeared in the vicinity. He found that if he focused hard enough, he could not only tell where a ghost was, but how powerful they were as well. He'd often compare his ghost sense's accuracy with that of his parent's ghost tracker during his training. Even if a ghost was invisible, he was able to track their every move.

Even now, he knew that the eco-pus was still under the street, waiting to catch him by surprise. Danny was ready to surprise him instead. He had played around with the larger ghost long enough. It was time for the last strike. Just as he readied himself, someone called out his name.

"Phantom! Watch out!" the Titan named Raven called. She was headed towards him at breakneck speed and showed no signs of stopping. Danny was annoyed that she had not heeded his warning not to interfere. Before he could chastise her, she rammed into him, pushing him out of the way right as the ecto-pus struck. Danny tumbled in the air briefly before righting himself. He looked over to Raven to find her wrapped rather tightly in the ghost's tentacles. She struggled as the grip tightened, slowly caused asphyxiation. The ecto-pus roared in triumph, as it finally caught its former prey.

Phantom cursed under his breath as he shot forward. He encased his hand in glowing green ectoplasm as he launched an attack. The ecto-pus, seeing it coming, swung his unoccupied limbs at the ghost boy. Instead of dodging them, however, Phantom swung his arm out in a karate chop, his hand still charged with emerald energy. His hand cut through the tentacle quite easily, shocking the large ghost-beast. He bellowed in pain, launching even more limbs in anger. Each and every one was stopped or severed by a flurry of ecto-charged punches, chops and kicks. Phantom finally managed to severe the one that was slowly crushing Raven. He caught her before she fell to the ground, and flew her to the others. Starfire and Maddie helped her to her feet as she cleared her head.

"I thought I told you to stay out of it!" Danny exclaimed. Just stood there in shock, and then crossed her arms as she stared down the ghost with a dark gaze.

"You're welcome," she replied derisively.

"I had it under control," he replied to her sarcasm. "I didn't need any help."

"Didn't look like it," she shot back, annoyance dripping from her words.

"Uh, guys?" Robin tried to interject. As they argued the ecto-pus was advancing. It had regenerated more tentacles and was even angrier than before.

"I don't need any rookies getting in my way," Danny yelled. As he did, his hand shot up, charged in ectoplasm. He shot at the advancing ghost, stopping it in its tracks.

"Rookie?!?!" Raven replied in disbelief. A vein in her head popped up as she gritted her teeth. A bolt of dark energy smacked the ecto-pus, knocking it into a nearby building. It righted itself in the air, albeit befuddled and disoriented.

"I'm only going to tell you this one last time. Stay out of my way!" Phantom declared. He charged up a final attack in his palm before finally releasing it. The ball of energy collided with the ecto-pus and detonated, blinding everyone with green light. When the smoke cleared, the Titans found the street covered in ectoplasmic goo. Starfire, Robin and Maddie just stood there in awe at the strength of the attack and the resulting damage. Even Raven, who was still fuming, had to admit Phantom was powerful. He was still a jerk, though.

Phantom immediately unhooked a silver cylinder from his waist, something Maddie immediately recognized as a Fenton Thermos. He uncapped it, and then used the device's blue beam to clean up the still twitching ectoplasm that decorated the street. He turned to the group, who were unsure on how to respond to him.

"Just a word of advice," he began. "Leave the ghost hunting to the professionals." And with that he flew off into the sky, turning invisible mid-flight.

At that very moment the two light posts that seemed to survive the onslaught were suddenly encased in black energy and exploded, showering the street in glass. Robin and Starfire backed away slowly as Raven's shoulders shook in rage.

"Why that little," she began, shaking her fist at the sky, until she realized she said it in unison with someone else. She turned to find Mrs. Fenton's face mirroring hers, full of anger.

"Is he implying I'm not a professional?" Maddie Fenton asked fiercely. "When I get my hands on him…"

Robin shook his head in frustration. The ride home was not going to be pleasant.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

A lone figure watched the entire battle from a few blocks away. He grinned as the implications of the battle ran through his head. He had released his pet as a way to gauge the Gem's power. He wasn't expecting Phantom to show up. This was an unexpected surprise, but could work to his advantage. He could mix business with pleasure after all.

"You seem to be in a good mood for someone who lost, Skulky," a voice called out. A pillar of smoke and fire appeared beside him. As the smoke cleared, a feminine figure revealed itself. She wore a dark red bustier with a low-cut neckline that left nothing to the imagination. Long, fingerless gloves covered her hands and arms. Her skirt reached down to her feet, but had a slit that reached up to her waist, revealing her legs, which were encased in long leather boots. Her wavy red hair framed her seductive face. But her most noticeable quality was her smile, as she flashed her teeth like a Cheshire cat who had eaten a canary.

"What do you want, Valara," Skulker, the Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter, replied in annoyance. She pouted mockingly at Skulker's sour mood.

"Oh Skulky, don't be so mean," she said, her grin returning. She somehow managed to pinch Skulker's metallic cheek, which irked the hunter even more. "I'm only here to check up on you, that's all. Daddy doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"The master will get his things soon," Skulker answered. "The Gem has them, which will make it a challenge. Plus there is that whelp and his idiot hunter family…"

"Who was he, anyway," Valara asked. "I've never seen him in the ghost zone before."

"That was Phantom," Skulker replied. "That whelp will soon be dealt with, I assure you."

"So that's the halfa?" she asked, with a seductive tone to her voice. She licked her lips distractedly. "Mmm, magnificent, isn't he. Don't damage him too badly. He may be useful to us."

"I doubt it," Skulker scoffed. "He only protects humans. My last employer failed many times to corrupt him. What makes you any different?"

"Oh, I can be very persuasive," Valara purred. "And don't underestimate my father as well. Phantom should be easy to tame." She winked at Skulker and began to ascend into the sky. "I'll leave you to your plans, Skulky." After blowing him a kiss, she vanished in a puff of smoke.

Skulker grinned as he went over his next move. He needed to prepare for an all out assault on the enemy's stronghold. He would please his master with not only the items he desired, but also add on the halfa as an added bonus. He activated his jet pack and flew off to his temporary base. His pets were going to have a feast very soon.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, even if it does suck a little :p. I'll try hard in future chapters to keep you satisfied. Thanks for the followiing reviewers: danna-chan, khaosfire, Allahee4life, Chaos Dragon, hikarisailorcat, Mako-Magic, southernstarshadow, RavenWriter89, Yue-neko, Tetsukon, Nonasuki-chan, AirGirl Phantom,.December's Morose, Cylon One, phantomshadowdragon, Sweeteen19, HiddenAuthor, katiesparks, leadfoot352, calamite, lil' munkies, teenyugiohpotterphantom,Shiva the Sarcastic,Pieling and Sasia93. Your reviews are what keep me going. Thanks and hopefully see you in two weeks. **

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	10. Chapter 9: No Help Wanted

Author's Notes; Guess who is back! In record time, I might add (record for me, anyway). So glad I could get this in sooner rather than later. This chapter is a milestone for me: my tenth chapter as a newb FanFic author. I thank all of you for sticking by me and helping me along. Me the Anon One and Chaos Dragon have both been a great help. I'm glad to have such great authors as my mentors. You go, girls!

Some more Danny angst in this chapter, as well as some new gear for the Titans and an unexpected guest comes for a visit. Stay Tuned, true believers!

Haunted Destiny Chapter 9: No Help Wanted

A rather loud, boisterous laugh and a higher pitched giggle could be heard echoing the halls of the Titan's Tower. Cyborg was telling Jazz how he and the other Titans had once been captured and turned into animals by one of their weirder enemies, Mumbo the Magician.

"And BB got turned into a lamp!" Cyborg said, chuckling once again. Jazz joined him, enjoying herself for a change. She had almost forgotten what it felt like to laugh and smile. Constantly worrying about her brother's mental state hadn't left much time for her to have a social life. She found Cyborg easy to talk to and a good story teller to boot. Their original talk about ghosts had evolved into many different subjects, until finally turning into Cyborg telling her some of the Titan's more humorous moments as a team. She welcomed the distraction he provided, as it took her mind off her more worrisome thoughts.

"Did someone mention me?" Beast Boy asked as he entered the main room, making sure to look out for Mr. Fenton. He wasn't eager to be on the receiving end of another ghost-related lecture.

"Naw, BB. Just telling her how bright you are," Cyborg replied. Jazz couldn't help herself as she erupted in a fit of giggles. Beast Boy looked momentarily confused until his face turned stiffened.

"Dude, thought we agreed not to mention the lamp story," Beast Boy exclaimed, his ears drooping slightly and his cheeks reddening. Cyborg was about to reply when the main doors opened. Raven walked in the room; with a face Cyborg and Beast Boy knew all too well. Beast Boy quickly moved out of the way, as to not incur her wrath. She made a beeline to the kitchen, grabbing her favorite kettle to brew some tea. Cyborg and Beast Boy glanced at each other, wondering what got Raven in such a foul mood.

The doors opened again as Rabin, Starfire and Maddie Fenton entered the room. Jazz recognized the fuming look in Mrs. Fenton's eye as she stormed in. Jazz hadn't seen her mother this angry since the last time they tried to catch Danny. Wait, he didn't…..

"Jazz, honey," Maddie asked. Jazz was alarmed by the furious tone still in her mom's voice. "Where is your father?"

"I think he's in your room, working on something," Jazz replied hastily.

"Thank you, dear," she replied. "Jack!!" she yelled as she exited the room, muttering something about dissection. All the Titans watched her leave the room. A sudden sharp whistling caused everyone to jump. Taking the kettle off the stove, Raven poured herself a cup of herbal tea, and then emulated Mrs. Fenton as she stormed out of the room.

"Dudes, what happened?" Beast Boy asked, finally breaking the silence that had fallen on the room.

"Yeah. I haven't seen Raven that ticked off since BB dyed her cloak pink," Cyborg chimed in.

"We ran into a little ghost trouble on the way back," Robin replied. Jazz's eyes went wide as her interest was piqued.

"Wait, another ghost attack? Why didn't you call us?" Cyborg queried.

"No time. Raven and Mrs. Fenton were trying to fight the ghost, but didn't have a lot of luck," Robin explained. "And then Phantom showed up."

"Hold on a sec,' Beast Boy interjected, unexpectedly full of energy. "Phantom's here? Did you get an autograph? Was he cool?"

"He was ruder than a rampaging snoodlebam!" Starfire replied. "He defeated the ghost but said some not very nice things to Raven and Mrs. Fenton." Jazz's worried look returned to her face as she listened in. She stood up, and then rushed out the door.

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After making sure the Fenton GAV made it back to the tower, Danny phased through the walls with ease till he arrived at one of the bathrooms. After doing a sweep of the Tower before hand, he had discovered that the bathrooms weren't monitored, unlike the rest of the building. Turning visible, he focused on transforming, as rings of light appeared around his waist and passed over his body, turning Danny Phantom back into Danny Fenton. He stepped out of the bathroom…

To be met face to face by his sister. Jazz had concern and anger painted on her face. They stared each other down for a few seconds before Jazz dared to speak.

"Where have you been?" asked in her most parental voice. He simply shrugged.

"Getting some fresh air," he replied. He jumped onto his bed, grabbed a book and started to read.

"Danny…" she said in a warning tone.

"It's not like its any of your business, Jazz," he shot back from behind his book. "I was just doing my job."

"Does your 'job' include insulting mom and the Titans?" Jazz asked. Danny looked up from above his book.

"I didn't insult Mom. The Titans on the other hand…" he replied enigmatically. Jazz huffed in frustration.

"Danny, what exactly did you say to them?' she asked. "Raven didn't look too happy."

"I told them the truth," he responded. "That they were rookies and they were better off let me handle the ghosts." Jazz stood there, flabbergasted.

"Why do you insist on doing this all by yourself?" she asked fervently. Her normally calm approach was lost as she felt her ire rise.

"Cause I'm the one who can!" he exclaimed, as if the answer was obvious. "It's my responsibility and no one else's. I'm sorry I'm not a 'real' hero in your eyes."

"Where did that come from?" she asked. She then stopped, remembering what she had said to Cyborg a few days ago.

"Danny, I didn't mean it like that," she defended. "You're as much of a hero as any of the Titans. I just think sometimes you need to ask for help…"

"I. Don't. Need. Help!" he shouted loudly. Jazz was taken aback by his volume. "I don't need yours and I definitely don't need theirs. So just quit it." And with that he left the room.

"Danny, wait!" Jazz called out as she chased after her brother. She bumped into something big, however, and landed squarely on her bottom.

"Sorry about that. You alright, Jazz?" Cyborg asked. He offered his hand and helped her up. "I heard shouting coming from your room."

"Oh, it was nothing," assured Jazz. She looked around to find that Danny had already done his usual disappearing trick. "Just some sibling rivalry, that's all." She giggled nervously.

"Yeah, about that. Your brother seems to be on the grumpy side," Cyborg admitted. Jazz sighed deeply.

"It's just a phase…I hope,' she answered. "He's just so stubborn sometimes."

"Sounds sorta like Raven," Cyborg observed. "She was like that a lot when she joined us. Maybe she could help?"

"No, that's alright," she declined. "It's sort of a family thing."

"Alright, then," Cyborg shrugged. "Anyway, your parents and I are gonna start working on some weapons in my workshop to help us fight ghosts one on one. Care to join us?" he held out his arm, which she graciously accepted.

"Sure, why not,' she said as he lead the way.

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Beast Boy was bored out of his mind.

It wasn't that there was nothing to do in the Tower. He had a backlog of comics to finish and he had at least 5 levels of Mega Ninja Hyper Munkies 4 to complete. He just didn't have anyone to do things with. Cyborg, his normal video game compatriot was off building weird gadgets with their guests. Robin, who occasionally played games, was off being Robin, planning their next strategy. He was afraid to even ask Raven; she usually said no, anyway, but in her current mood BB wasn't going to take any chances. And Starfire was probably in the kitchen making another one of her alien recipes.

Beast Boy sighed as he headed off to the main room for some prime lounging. If he was bored, might as well be comfortable. He entered and surveyed the room. Starfire was in the kitchen area, humming to herself and mixing strange ingredients (some of which BB thought were probably still alive). He looked at the couch and found one of their guests on the couch, reading a book. What was his name? Donnie? Randy? Oh, yeah: Danny. Grinning from ear to ear, Beast Boy walked over to his new "playmate".

"So," he began, using his friendliest smile. Danny's book lowered slightly, revealing only his eyes. His left eyebrow shot up in annoyance.

"Yes?" he asked in an irritated tone. Beast Boy couldn't help but think he'd how his tone was so much like Raven's.

"I was wondering if you weren't busy, if you wanted to play any games." Beast Boy asked, holding up a controller as emphasis. Danny's book moved up, once again obscuring his face.

"No," he said simply. Beast Boy's ears drooped slightly, but he was still determined.

"We got mega Munkies 4, Extreme Space Race and Doomed," Beast Boy prattled. Danny winced slightly upon hearing Doomed, which used to be one of his favorite games to play with Tucker and Sam. His impatience grew exponentially.

"I said no," he replied, a threatening edge in his voice.

"Come on, dude," BB pleaded. "I'll let you win a few rounds."

"Listen, kid," Danny began, his tolerance long since gone now.

"Kid?!" Beast Boy repeated in shock. The conversation had caught Starfire's attention, who was now listening in, paying no mind to her cooking.

"I don't do games," Danny continued, not paying any attention to Beast Boy's words. "I have better things to do than to play any stupid games. So stop bugging me." His concentration on his book lost, Danny left the room. Beast Boy and Starfire were left standing there, with a mortified look on his face.

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Danny needed release and fast.

Both his argument with his sister and his little confrontation with the green Titan had gotten Danny extremely agitated. He needed a way to misplace his pent up aggression. Remembering his scouting mission earlier that morning, he proceeded to is destination: the Tower's training room.

He inspected the area to make sure he was alone and couldn't be interrupted. He was actually a bit impressed by the equipment they had. Weight machines, treadmills, training robots. His training corner of his parent's lab simply had a few weights. He stopped looking and made a beeline to his equipment of choice: a large punching bag.

Finding some bandages, he wrapped his hands and began to tap the bag as a warm up. He began to think of the battle earlier that day. He chided himself for the close-calls. He should have been there faster. He should have defeated that ghost a lot sooner that he had. He struck the punching bag more fervently now as his thoughts swirled around in his head. He had to prove that he was strong enough. He had to win there was no room for error. He had to win or else…

The image flashed in his mind again. The blue face, the flaming hair, the forked tongue. That twisted, corrupt older version of himself sneering at him. Taunting him.

"You think any of this will make a difference?" he could hear him say. "You can't stop the unavoidable. Sooner or later you'll loose them all. Your family, your friends. You'll try to protect them and fail. And then we'll have so much fun together…" By now Danny was showering the bag with a flurry of punches and kicks. Everything else around him seemed to disappear.

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Robin was on his way to the kitchen to see how Starfire was doing. He felt that he was kooked up in his 'office' for far too long and he needed a break. He was no closer to solving the mystery which was plaguing his mind at the moment. That mystery involved the enigmatic ghost known as Phantom. Something was familiar about him. His face, the voice, his attitude. He couldn't help but feel he had met him before. He could feel the answer was at the tip of his tongue, but seemed to elude him as soon as he got too close. He hoped to talk to Raven to see if she had felt anything during the battle. When she cooled down, that is. Phantom seemed to push all the wrong buttons with his teammate.

Just he was passing Raven's door, it opened as the sorceress was on her way to get another cup of tea. The two paused for a second. Robin held his breath, hoping not cross her in anyway. He may have been the team leader but even he was a little afraid of Raven when she was angry.

"I'm not going to bite, you know," she said, breaking the ice. Robin began to breathe again, relieved that Raven was calmer.

"Feeling better?" he queried cautiously. Raven nodded.

"Sorry about that. I shouldn't have let my anger get the better of me," she replied. Robin smiled.

"It's no problem," he assured. "You're not the only one." Robin had been known to get furious at times, especially when it came to their more serious enemies, like Slade.

"I swear, he infuriated me even more than even Beast Boy could," she confessed. She sighed. "I can't help but feel sorry for him, though."

"What do you mean?" Robin wondered, surprised to hear Raven say that.

"During the battle, I touched his mind," she began. She looked down at the ground as they walked. "I felt so much pain from him. He seemed almost desperate to protect Mrs. Fenton in particular." Robin's eyebrow arched.

"Why would he want to protect a ghost hunter?" he wondered out loud. "Aren't they his enemies?"

"I'm not sure," she conceded. "It may be connected to how he died, if that makes any sense. We might want to talk to the Fentons about it." Robin nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of Phantom, have you noticed anything about him?" Robin asked, deciding to ask for the dark teen's advice.

"You mean the fact that he's a total jerk?" Raven joked.

"Not what I meant," he replied seriously. "It feels like I've met him somewhere." Raven paused for a second.

"Actually, I've been noticing the exact same thing," she agreed. "Something is familiar about him. I can't quite place my finger on it."

"We should…" he started, as the walked by their training room. He stopped as he heard the sound of someone pounding on his punching bag. He walked inside and stopped abruptly at the sight before him. Raven, wondering what was going on, also came into the room. She too was brought to a standstill as she mirrored Robin's look of shock. They watched in morbid curiosity as Danny Fenton was literally beating the sand out of the bag. His moves were fast and powerful as he delivered punch after punch and kick after kick, driving it to swing backwards more and more while doing so. Raven didn't think she'd seen even Robin move that fast.

Robin noted two things as he watched the youngest Fenton move. First was that Danny could fight. Though his moves were somewhat erratic, his form and execution of his motions were well done. He definitely had some training, probably in karate. His second observation was that he was fighting for a while, in something other than karate sparring. Danny had experience and lots of it. Robin wondered where he got it, however. Danny seemed to isolate himself from the rest of his family, so it couldn't be from ghost hunting, could it?

Robin's inner questions were cut short as Danny gave one final punch. It was all the chain that held the bag up could take as it broke, sending the bag into the nearby wall. They both watched as Danny just stood there, and then bent over, breathing heavily. Sweat was dripping down his face and hit the mat. Robin began to advance towards him, wondering if he was alright. He placed a hand on Danny's shoulder…

And suddenly found his back hitting the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Raven could barely make out Danny flipping Robin, which she never imagined was even possible. Robin was trained in various forms of martial arts and his reflexes were extremely sharp. Little could catch him off guard like Danny did just then.

Robin broke through his hazy vision to find Danny, crouched above Robin's lying form, with he fist cocked back, ready to strike. His face wore a mask of determination and fury. They stared each other down for a few moments, till Danny broke out of his spellbound state. His eyes widened when he realized what he had done. Danny stood up, muttered an apology as promptly walked towards the exit.

As he walked past Raven, their shoulders brushed. Raven froze as everything around her faded to black. She wondered where she was, looking around in confusion. She squinted as light suddenly filler her eyes again. It was then that she realized she was no longer in the tower.

The sky was a blood red and was slowly being filled by smoke coming from the town below. The streets were cracked, burning carcasses of cars strewn everywhere. The buildings were in no better shape, as many of them were on the verge of collapse. Raven didn't recognize any of the buildings, so she knew she wasn't in Jump City anymore. It seemed to be a much smaller town from the looks of it.

Raven's examination of the area was cut short as a laugh filled the air. It was deep and literally seethed of evil. She could feel a shiver crawl down her back as the laughter continued. "Who's there?" she asked as she struggled to find the source. Her search was short as she could make out two glowing red eyes piercing the darkness of an alley. As the mysterious figure came closer, she could make out more features: pale, blue skin, white flames for hair, sharp pointy teeth displayed in a toothy smirk. The most distinguishing feature was the symbol on its chest: the logo for the ghost known as Phantom. The creature hissed, its forked tongue darting out of its mouth as it pounced towards Raven.

Raven collapsed onto her knees, gasping for air. Robin ran up to her as she took a moment to collect herself.

"Raven? What happened?" he asked, his face filled with concern. She looked in the direction which Danny had headed towards and shook her head.

"I'm not sure."

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"Ladies and Gentlemen!" a very enthusiastic Cyborg exclaimed. He waited expectantly, and then cleared his throat. "I said 'Ladies and Gentlemen'." Remembering his cue, Beast Boy transformed into a lemur and began patting his belly, giving Cyborg the drum roll he needed.

"As I was saying," he began once again. It was late in the afternoon and everyone in the tower was gathered in the main room. Cyborg had called a meeting to 'unveil' the new weapons he designed with help from Jack and Maddie Fenton. He was in his element as he tried psyching up the crowd. "It is now my pleasure to introduce the future in Titans ghost hunting gear." Starfire gave a cheer from the couch while Jazz giggled at Cyborg's antics. Raven rolled her eyes.

"Enough with the theatrics already," she snidely remarked. Cyborg frowned for a moment before continuing. Off to the side, Danny was watching everything from behind a book.

"Ahem. Thanks to help from the Fentons, we've been able to modify our gear to kick some major ghost booty," he raved. Jack slung an arm around Cyborg's shoulder.

"Couldn't do it without you, C-man!" the large man bellowed. The two shared a love of technology, which made them fast buddies. Maddie smiled at the two.

"Now, boys, I think we need to show off the weapons before the crowd gets bored," she interjected, playing along. The bad mood she was in was now gone, the energy spent on inventing. She always did her best work when properly motivated.

"Let's start off with the arsenal of our big cheese, Robin!" said Cyborg, continuing his showcase. He threw over to Robin one of his signature bo-staffs. Robin examined it for a bit, and then looked back puzzled.

"I don't notice anything different," he stated.

"Give it a twist," Cyborg said, grinning. Robin did so and was surprised to see both ends of the staff suddenly glowing with ecto-plasmic energy. Robin nodded approvingly.

"Your staff, your birdarangs, discs, ropes, and grappling hooks have all been enhanced with ectoplasm," Maddie explained.

"Yeah, and your lines are coated with our patented Fenton anti-ghost resin. Designed to catch any ghost!" Jack chimed in.

"Next up are these lovely bracelets for Starfire," Cyborg announced, holding up a pillow. Lying on the pillow were two silver bracelets, each one with glowing green trim. Starfire squealed in delight, but paused for a moment.

"Would not Robin become the jealous?" she asked? Cyborg grinned nervously.

"They're special ecto-converters, Star. They absorb your starbolt energy and convert it into an ectoblast," he explained, much to the relief of both Starfire and Robin. Raven stifled a laugh.

"And for you, BB," Cyborg said, revealing metallic gloves and boots. Beast Boy eyed them questioningly.

"What do these do?" he asked, not sure of what to make of them. Jack smiled from ear to ear.

"They're special version of our Ghost Gauntlets," he confessed. "They let you tussle with a ghost one on one with an added bonus for you. Try transforming into something with claws." Beast put the boots and gloves on, then complied as he transformed into a grizzly bear. Looking at his claws, he found that the boots and gloves morphed along with him. Flexing his claws, he also found them glowing green.

"Cool!" Beast Boy called in approval after transforming into a number of different animals to try them out further.

"And last but not least, moi," Cyborg proclaimed. His hand transformed into his signature Sonic Canon, except it how glowed green instead of its normal blue. "Ecto-sonic Canon, ghost seeking missiles and built in ghost tracking equipment. Booyeah!"

"Great Job, everyone" Robin congratulated. Cyborg grinned at the compliment. "With these new weapons, we should have no problem stopping any threat that comes along."

From his corner, Danny cocked an eyebrow. This was not good. Their new weapons made the Titans more threatening than before. He didn't think his parents could work so quickly. He definitely needed to find a way to solving the mystery behind the ghost attacks before the Titans did.

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Skulker's preparations were complete. He grinned to himself as he successfully made it to the basement of the tower without being detected. He was now ready to retrieve his master's belongings. He first, however, needed a distraction to keep the Titans and the whelp busy. He pulled in a rather large cage. Various limbs could be seen flailing out of the sides.

"Time to feast, my pets," he said as he opened the cage…


	11. Chapter 10: Witch Hunt

**Author's Notes: A little later than promised, but chapter 10 is finally up. From this point on, it's all meat. Lots of shockers, revelations, angst (like there wasn't enough already), character development, etc, etc. The new villain reveals himself in a few chapters so get ready for that. I hope I can wow you in future chapters.**

**Now on with the show!**

* * *

Haunted Destiny Chapter 10: Witch Hunt

"Booyeah!" cried Cyborg, marking another victory against his nemesis, Beast Boy. They were both in front of the living room's large screen, playing Ultra Project X Racing on their Square Station 720 Game System. After Cyborg's presentation, the Titans and the Fentons went off to do their own things all about the Tower. Cyborg and Beast Boy decided to pass the time pursuing their mutual hobby. At the moment, Cyborg was winning, as usual whenever they played against each other. Cyborg noticed, though, that Beast Boy was acting different. Normally during their playing sessions, a long string of 'dudes' and accusations of cheating would come from the green changeling. Tonight, however, he was noticeably silent and actually looked more into the game than usual.

"Yo, BB!" Cyborg called to is green friend. Beast Boy was fully focused in the game, not hearing his partially mechanical friend. "BB!"

"Huh, what?" Beast Boy replied, being thrown back into reality.

"What's going on with you?" Cyborg replied. "Not that I don't mind the silence, but coming from you, it's getting me worried." Beast Boy blinked.

"It's that Fenton guy," responded Beast Boy. "That guy is big fat jerk!"

"You mean Mr. Fenton?" Cyborg asked in disbelief. Sure, he was a little obsessive but he knew his stuff and Cyborg respected that.

"No, the son," Beast Boy corrected. "What's his name?"

"Danny?" Cyborg inquired. "You annoy him or something?"

"I was not annoying him!" Beast Boy cried, defending himself. "Everyone was busy so I asked him he wanted to play a few video games. And he totally blew me off!"

"Yeah, I could see that as being jerk like," Cyborg replied sarcastically.

"Dude, he didn't have to be rude about it," Beast Boy said, clearly agitated. Cyborg had never seen his teammate so worked up over something. "He called me a 'kid' and said he had better things to do. Actually…" Beast Boy paused for a second. "He actually reminded me a whole lot of how Raven was before."

"Don't say that in front of Raven or else she'll drop you in the ocean again," Cyborg warned, suppressing a chuckle. "Though you are right. He is a bit grumpy."

"Grumpy doesn't begin describe it," Beast Boy assured. "Of course, you're too busy making out with his sister to notice it."

"What was that?" Cyborg asked, not sure he heard correctly.

"Come on, Cy. Its sooo obvious," Beast Boy insinuated, raising his eyebrows knowingly. "The googly eyes, the sighs. And you're trying so hard to make her laugh. You totally dig each other.'

"I do not try…wait, you think she likes me?" Cyborg asked mid sentence.

"Dude, she totally likes you," the green teen replied, wrapping his arm around Cyborg's shoulders like he was giving advice. "Just make sure to name one of your little toasters after me."

'That's it!" Cyborg called, fuming over Beast Boy's ribbing. He tried to grab the younger, smaller hero, but he was too quick. Beast Boy was already in the form of a cat, making his escape. Cyborg, however, was in hot in pursuit, chasing the small animal around the room. Beast Boy evaded him, his small size making him quick and hard to catch. After evading the mechanical teen for a good five minutes, he stopped abruptly. His fur stood on end as he hissed loudly. Cyborg stopped as well, wondering what had gotten into his teammate.

Beast Boy returned to human for, shivering. "What was that?' he asked himself.

'What was what?" inquired Cyborg.

"Something's not right," Beast Boy replied. "I sensed something when I was a cat."

"And?" Cyborg asked.

"Animals can sense danger before humans can," responded the changeling. "Something's not right."

And if on cue, the lights in the Tower suddenly ceased to function.

"That was totally not my fault," stated Beast Boy.

As their eyes began adjusting to the lack of light, they began to hear a low, feral growl.

"BB, is that you?" Cyborg asked cautiously.

"Nope," replied the other titan. They both gulped as they turned to find a large, glowing, three-headed bear looming over them.

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"Retribution must be sought!" Starfire declared, standing up with her fist held high.

She and Robin were on the roof, gazing at the sky together. They had gone to the roof an hour ago to watch the setting sun, as they often did at the end of the day. They were now sharing the view of the stars, enjoying the peace and quiet while they could. That is they were until Robin had divulged to her his encounter with one Danny Fenton. Needless to say, she did not take the assault on her significant other lightly.

"Star, seriously, I'm fine," Robin tried to reassure his girlfriend and teammate. "I just bruised my back, that's all."

"But he was most inhospitable," she stated, fire still burning in her eyes. "He was rude to Beast Boy earlier to day as well. He is more unpleasant than a rampaging maladunk!" Robin deduced a rampaging maladunk was pretty unpleasant.

"It was mostly my fault. I shouldn't have interrupted him," Robin said. "There is something off about him. I can't quite place it."

"What troubles you, Robin?" she asked tenderly, her rage noticeably diminished.

"The way he moved and how easily he took me down. He's definitely had some fighting experience," Robin explained. "I also can't shake the feeling I've seen those moves before."

"I am sure you shall figure it out," she said. She sat down again, next to her boyfriend, as she placed her hand onto his and laid her head on his shoulders. "The stars are glorious tonight, are they not?"

"Not as much as the one next to me," Robin answered. The alien girl giggled and blushed, not knowing what to say. She always enjoyed spending time with him. She lifted her head and stared into the eyes of Robin. Robin leaned in closer, as she closed her eyes, awaiting a kiss in anticipation. She suddenly yelped in surprise as she felt something wrap around her waist. Robin watched in horror as Starfire was pulled into the roof with an "Eep!"

"Starfire!"

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Jazz was bored.

None of the books she brought along with her for the trip had caught her interest. Neither did any of the music she had on her MP3 player. No, she needed human interaction to quell her boredom. She couldn't talk to her parents. They couldn't spend more than five minutes without even mentioning ghosts. Danny was being Danny. He hadn't shown up since their fight earlier that day. The only person who could help her was the titan known as Cyborg.

She smiled as she remembered her time with him that day. It was nice talking to someone her age about things other than ghosts. She had spent most of her academic life focusing squarely on her grades, so she didn't make friends easily. Then, when she had discovered her brother's secret, she had spent countless nights worrying and covering for him with his parents and his teachers. His recent personality shift had compounded her concern even more so.

It wasn't that she liked him liked him. No, that wasn't it. Sure, he was smart; most of the technology in the tower was made by or maintained by him. He actually reminded her of Tucker, though he wasn't as obsessed as him. Except when it came to his car, which he affectionately named his "baby". And he was funny as well. And he had a nice smile…

So maybe she did have a crush on him. That made their discussions and their flirting all the more interesting. It wasn't like anything serious was going to happen, was it? She shook her head. Quit overanalyzing! Just be spontaneous. She could be spontaneous, couldn't she?

Jazz spontaneously decided that she was thirsty and needed to go to the main room's kitchen area. And if she happened to spot Cyborg on the way, no harm done. She started her journey, her pace faster than normal. Half-way towards her destination, however, the lights suddenly extinguished. "Just great," she sighed as she tried to find her way in the dark.

She arrived at the doors of the main room, finding them slightly ajar. She all of a sudden saw various flashes of green and heard a familiar voice grunt as something big hit the door.

"Cyborg?" she asked as she saw his head sticking out of the opening of the door. He pried the doors open as he slowly rose up. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just fine. Just that there's a really big 3 headed bear ghost in the room with…BB!" he cried, realizing he left his comrade to fight alone. He ran back into the room, to find Beast Boy, as a bear himself, locked in an eternal struggle with the ghostly beast. His paws were lined with the silver ghost gauntlets as he tried to wrestle the other bear into submission. He was having a hard time; however, as he had to constantly dodge the three heads, which took turns snapping at his own.

Cyborg's hand transformed into a sonic canon; which was now modified by the Fenton's technology. He took aim, waiting for the right moment to attack. He never got the chance as another blast zipped by him, knocking back the ghostly grizzly. He turned to find Jazz holding a still smoking mini-ectogun. She winked at Cyborg's disbelieving gaze.

"Runs in the family, remember?" she stated. A green ferret scurried along the floor till it reached behind Cyborg and transformed back into Beast Boy.

"I think it's angry!" he called out as the bear stood up to its full, intimidating height. Jazz and Cyborg took aim and fired at the behemoth in unison.

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"Can you hand me the ecto-analyzer, dear?" Maddie Fenton asked as she worked on another of her and her husband's inventions. Jack complied, grinning at is wife. He always loved to see her work. He loved how they worked together; he had the wild ideas and she made sure he didn't kill himself making them. He was extremely lucky to find such a smart and beautiful wife.

They were in Cyborg's shop, calibrating and improving a few of their weapons for any future attacks. They were amazed by the level of technology the metallic titan had at his disposal. It helped their progress immensely, though that wasn't the only reason. The encounter with Phantom had left Maddie in a rather agitated state; which Jack had learned caused her to work up a storm in the lab. It was a quality he secretly found quite sexy about her.

His silent admiration was cut short by the rapid beeping of one of their ghost trackers. He bound for it and read the display. It was picking up at least a dozen of blips in the immediate area.

"We got multiple bogies, Mads!" he declared with glee. This was the best part. He brandished a pair of Ghost Gauntlets, while Maddie grabbed a bazooka. The lights suddenly flickered before finally switching off completely. That didn't hinder the Fentons, though; Maddie lit the built in light on her firearm, using it to survey the room.

"Jack, are you alright?" she asked, trying to locate her suddenly silent husband. She heard a large crash and turned the lights in the direction of the noise. She witnessed her husband, rolling on the ground, wrestling with a large ghost that seemed to be in the shape of a mythical Gryphon.

"Looks like I got a live one!" he said in between grunts. "Or a dead one. Get it?" Maddie smiled at her husband's antics, despite the immediate danger. Finding enough leverage, he managed to launch the ghost into a nearby table. Maddie immediately took aim and fired at the ghost. He gun created a temporary dimensional hole into the ghost zone, pulling the ghost inside before the hole closed in on itself.

"Nothing can stop team Fenton!" he cried triumphantly. "How many more do have to catch, Mads?"

"There's a few more in the area, Jack honey," she replied. She pointed the light in the direction of the door "There should be some more a few rooms down."

They both headed towards the door. Maddie tried a few buttons, though none were responsive.

"Let me give it a go!" he asked as he tried to pry it open. When that didn't work, started to bang on the door numerous times, all with negative results. "Suffering Spooks! We're locked in!"

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After watching his girlfriend being pulled into the building tower, Robin ran immediately for the door that led inside. Jumping down the stairs, he hoped that he would be able to find her. He observed that the lights were out and none of the emergency systems had kicked in. Luckily for him, he was able to make out her cries for help.

"I wish to be let go of, please?" she asked almost politely, albeit loudly, as she struggled within the grip of a large, white ghost snake. It hissed as it squeezed tighter upon the alien girl.

"Leave her alone!" Robin cried as he leapt into action, Bo staff already in hand. It glowed with green fury as it smashed into the serpent, stunning it. It loosened its grip, allowing Starfire to escape. She flew towards Robin. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine, Robin,' she replied. The snake lunged forward, baring its fangs. Both titans dodged in opposite directions. Robin readied three exploding discs and threw them at the specter. Each one hit its mark, causing the ghost to hiss loudly. I swung its tale out more quickly than Robin could dodge, launching the boy wonder into a nearby wall.

"You shall not harm him!" she cried as her eyes began glowing green with righteous fury. Her new bracelets also began glowing as it began glowing as it converted her starbolt energy into ecto-energy. With a battle cry, she launched a volley of ecto-enhanced starbolts at the creature, knocking it back. She sped to Robin's side as he struggled to get up. The collision with the wall had aggravated his previous back injury.

"Robin! Are you damaged?" she asked, her voice full of concern. He slowly got back on his feet.

"I'll live," he muttered with a smile. They both faced off against the ghost. Robin, who had lost his staff in the heat of battle, produced two of his birdarangs. He smashed them together, forming a sword. Being enhanced by the Fentons, its blade shone with energy as he readied himself for battle. "Let's do this."

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Raven was running out of ideas. She had spent the last two hours pouring over the leather-bound manuscript she had found, trying to find a way to reveal the text that was hidden in its blank pages. Around her were a variety of open manuscripts and books of spells she had in her collection, which she had been researching to find a way unlock the secrets of the journal. Unfortunately she had been met with various obstacles. Everything she tried ended in failure.

She had tried numerous spells and incantations from her readings. She was exhausting many of her ingredients, many of which were rare and would be expensive to replace. Each attempt was as useless as the last. The pages stayed blank. She had come to a conclusion: either the mage who had done this was good or she was wasting her time with a blank journal.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she sighed and decided to take a break. She reached over to her cup of tea, which had been neglected during her endeavors. She took a sip, only to find that the tea had gone cold a long time ago. Had she been working on this for that long? She sighed as she stood up and stretched her legs. She readied herself to get some more tea from the kitchen when the lights flickered out. Letting out a groan, she opened her communicator.

"Cyborg, are you messing with the electrical system again?" she asked in an annoyed tone. She was replied with nothing but static. "Cyborg? Robin? Anyone?" Now she was worried. Even with the power out, the communicators would still work. Something was going on in the tower. She closed her eyes and spread out her psychic reach all the way to the corners of the tower. She could feel her friends all in the heat of battle. She chided herself. She was so focused on her work that she didn't sense the ghosts that were now invading her home.

"So, I've finally found you," she heard a voice say. She turned to the source suddenly, taking a defensive pose. All that greeted her was air. "And feisty, too. You will make excellent prey."

"Show yourself," she demanded. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to prepare herself from any sneak attacks. A moment later her enemy appeared from thin air. He was a large ghost, his skin made completely of hi-tech armor, similar to Cyborg's. He wore a black military style pants, a black tank top and black steel tipped boots. Fiery orange flames burned on his head and chin as his metallic teeth shone in a devilish grin. What Raven noticed the most were the tattoos that littered his body, much like the tattoos that covered the Box Ghost. They glowed the same orange as his blazing 'hair', giving an eerie glow that permeated the room.

"So you are the Gem," he stated, eyeing his quarry. Raven froze for a moment, but continued to stand her ground. "The one who defeated the mighty Trigon the Terrible. You don't seem all that powerful, though."

"Looks can be deceiving," she spat back vehemently. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"I, witch, am Skulker. The Ghost Zone's greatest hunter," he replied proudly. He ginned again. "I believe you have something that belongs to my master." Raven stood in between the book and Skulker instinctively.

"Don't see his name on it," she retorted, with a smirk of her own. "Who is your master? And why does he want this book?"

"Wouldn't you want to know?" he replied. "You don't back down easily, do you. Just like the whelp. No wonder the master has an interest in you."

"Whelp?" she asked in confusion. Who could he be referring to? And who was this mysterious master of his?

"The ghost child," he answered. "I believe you've met him before."

"Phantom?" she asked after realizing whom he meant. "How do you know him?"

"He and I go way back," the hunter responded. "Though the master gave me permission to play with you a bit, you're just the appetizer. Phantom is my real main course."

"Lucky me," she snapped cynically. She was going to show him that she wasn't going to be taken lightly. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she cried her signature spell, as bolts of black energy sprang to life and shot to the ghostly hunter. He smiled, not even flinching as they met their mark…

And had no effect. She blinked, not understanding why it didn't work. She tried grabbing onto him with her magic once again and found she couldn't get a grip on him. It was as if her magic just slipped off of him. He smirked smugly, the pointed to a bracelet on his right arm.

"A gift from my master," he said, answering her unasked question. "It repels that dark magic of yours. I see it came in handy after all."

Raven suddenly became conscious that she was in a lot of trouble. He magic was basically useless against this new foe. He friends were unable to help her at the moment, no thanks to him. She only had one option. Grabbing the journal, she encased herself with her dark energy and phased through the floor. The hunter couldn't be any happier.

"Now the hunt truly begins."

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He found him.

Danny felt it. The same signature he had felt earlier that day was here, in the tower. He couldn't quite shake the fact that this ghost was familiar to him, yet it was different at the same time. It was also very powerful. He hadn't fought a ghost that powerful in a long time. But he knew he was ready for the challenge.

Phantom was making his way through the tower, tracking the ghost in question. He had already defeated half a dozen ghosts along the way, trapping each quickly and efficiently into his thermos. He had also locked the door to the lab his parents were in, welding it shut with his ghost ray. He didn't want them getting in the way of the upcoming battle. He was planning on stopping the leader head on. The other ghosts were just the small fry. He could handle them later. The big fish was all his.

He followed the signature as it moved through the tower. It was as if it was looking for something; or hunting for it. Wait, it couldn't be…

Before he could finish that thought, he found himself in a hallway, phasing through a wall next to a certain green titan. Beast Boy yelped in surprise and jumped into the arms of Cyborg, who let his friend fall unceremoniously. Beast Boy's cry had distracted Phantom, causing him to loose his focus.

"Dan- Phantom!" Jazz cried out tensely, stopping herself before she revealed her brother's identity. "Wh-what are you doing here?" He ignored her question as he looked around, trying to pinpoint the ghost he was tracking.

"Dude, wassup …!" Beast Boy greeted, holding out his hand. Phantom snubbed him as well. For the second time today, Beast Boy was rejected. He was just about to give up his attempts at friendship when Phantom held out his hand, which suddenly ignited with green energy, and pointed it straight at the titan. Beast Boy managed to duck just in time as the blast slammed into an invisible ghost, forcing it to become visible. The ghost fled, flying back into the wall from which it came from. Phantom followed; this would be good enough for now. Before continuing, however, he stopped and turned towards the others

"Stay here," he said simple, then he turned intangible and flew through the wall the ghost escaped into.

"That was pleasant," Cyborg sarcastically mumbled under his breath. Beast Boy nodded in agreement when the smell of something burning caught his attention. Looking up he saw his hair was smoldering from the previous blast. The changeling began patting his head furiously, trying to put out the smoking hair. Jazz gave an apologetic sigh. This was going to be a long night.

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Raven fled as fast as she could. She had phased through several floors and rooms already, but she knew it wasn't going to slow her pursuer down one bit. As a matter of fact, she hadn't seen him chasing her at all. She stopped and wondered where he had gone to. She scanned the area for his presence.

"Boo," she heard from behind her. She jumped out of the way just as a glowing green net whizzed by her. She looked in the direction of the blast, only to find nothing.

Why couldn't she sense him? That was twice he had caught her off guard. Her psychic senses didn't register him at all. Without them to guide her, she was clearly outmatched. He could see her but she couldn't see him. She had to keep moving or else she'd be a sitting duck. She went for the nearest wall, but felt something strike her side. She hit the wall with great speed, knocking the wind out of her. She tried to move, but found that she was trapped; she was covered in one of his nets.

Skulker made himself visible again, advancing towards his prey. "That was short," he stated. "I was sure you'd last a little bit longer than that. No matter. Now, about that book." Raven struggled to free herself of her bonds but it was no use. "Allow me," Skulker offered as an energy blade emerged from his forearm. She definitely didn't like where this was going. A blast suddenly came out of nowhere, smashing Skulker into a wall.

"What's the matter, Skulker?" a disembodied voice asked. "Are you so pathetic that you have to beat up on little girls?" Phantom appeared with a smirk on his face.

"Phantom," the hunter remarked. "It's about time you got here. Now I can have some fun."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing," Phantom shot back. He frowned for a moment. "What the heck happened to you?" he asked, noting Skulker's tattoo's and change in 'hair' color. "Isn't your hair supposed to be green?"

"I've changed a lot since we've last met, whelp," he replied. "My new master has made me a stronger and better hunter."

"Master?" Phantom questioned. "Vlad is having you call him 'master'?" Skulker then did something that took Phantom by surprise. He started to laugh.

"You think I'm still working for that weakling?" he snorted. "My new master has more power than you can even imagine. Not even Plasmius can stand against him." Phantom's interest was now piqued. If this wasn't Plasmius, who was it then?

Raven was just as confused, if not more so. She wondered who this Vlad person was and even more importantly, who was this 'master'. She continued to struggle against her bonds, but to no avail. She could only watch as Phantom and Skulker circled each other.

"Enough talk, ghost child," Skulker insulted. "It's time to show you the full power my master has given me."

"And its time to show you I'm not a child anymore," Phantom shot back as he took a stance, ready to strike. They then both launched themselves at each other. Raven could only watch helplessly as the battle between the two commenced.

* * *

**Special Thanks to: desdemona kakalose, Chaos Dragon, phantomshadowdragon, Mako-Magic, southernstarshadow, danna-chan, hikarisailorcat, egyptianqueen777, Nonasuki-chan, Plushiemon, Tetsukon, Kradeiz, Tevagirl 16, Sasia93, Shiva the Sarcastic, HiddenAuthor, Ice's Shadow, AirGirl Phantom, and Buckyboy**

**Thank you for your reviews and your support.**

**More coming on the way**


	12. Chapter 11: Battle Royale

**Author's Notes: All new chapter in about under a week! Huzzah! I just got so excited that I was able to squeeze out this chapter for all my fans can enjoy.**

**I still think my writing of action scenes stink, so please be gentle. :p I hope you enjoy this and I'm sorry in advance: this ends in a cliffy. Bwahahahah!**

* * *

Chapter 11: Battle Royale

"Booyeah!" a very enthusiastic Cyborg exclaimed as Jazz sucked the last ghost in the area into a Fenton thermos. They, along with Beast Boy, actually made a pretty good team capturing smaller ghosts. Cyborg flipped open a panel in his arm and did a scan of the Tower. Unfortunately, due to whatever interference that had caused their COM links to malfunction, its range was severely limited. "I think that's it for this area. Looks like the rest was taken care of by Phantom."

An indignant Beast Boy harrumphed at the sound of the name. His hair was slightly singed do to one of Phantom's blasts, so he was quite resentful at the moment. Jazz gave an apologetic smile, extremely embarrassed by her brother's behavior.

"Where do we go now? Jazz asked, walking over to Cyborg. She clearly looked like she had been in battle: hair disheveled, a few tears here and there in her clothes. Her ecto-gun was still in hand, ready to take out any surprises. Her eyes had a fire of determination that shone brightly. Cyborg found her current appearance, well… man that's hot!

"Head in the game, Cy," he muttered to himself as he tried to focus back on the task at hand. He looked at his scanner again. "There is so much interference that I can't get a lock on any ghosts." Suddenly an explosion rocked the tower, causing the floor to tremble and various loose objects to rattle.

"If I had to guess, we should go that way," Beast boy said, pointing in the direction of the explosion.

"My tower!" Cy cried out. "They're blowing up my tower!" Jazz giggled at the fact Cyborg looked like he was about to cry. "That's it! Those ghosts are going down!" They all started to run towards the series of smaller explosions that followed the first larger one.

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Robin and Starfire launched themselves at their opponent. Starfire fired another cascade of her starbolts, giving Robin to opportunity to move in. He dodged a swing from its tail as he swung his weapon. The snake hissed loudly once again as Robin's sword swung true. The gash that it caused spewed ectoplasm in every direction. Starfire, seeing her chance, launched a large starbolt at the wound, causing even more damage. Finding itself outmatched, the serpent turned intangible and fled through the floor.

Robin and Starfire stood there back to back, waiting for the ghost to attack again. Starfire's fists glowed with fierce green energy, while Robin stood ready with sword in hand. Robin gritted his teeth as he fought back the pain in his back, the anticipation as thick as pea soup. Seconds became like hours as they didn't dare to drop their guard.

A hiss gave the ghost's position away. In an instant a flurry of ecto-bolts and exploding discs rained down on the location, making the serpent visible again. "Starfire!" Robin cried out. She nodded, knowing exactly what he was planning. She grabbed his arm and using her strength, swung him around. Gaining the needed momentum, she let go, launching him at the serpent. He once again swung with his sword, this time cutting all the way through their enemy. It cried out in pain, then disintegrated in a green mist.

"We have vanquished our enemy!" Starfire cried as she gave Robin a bone crushing hug. He winced and cried out in pain, causing Star to let go. "Robin! Are you well?" Robin bent over, the pain overwhelming his senses. "Allow me to help," she said. Before he could even protest, she was already behind him. She grabbed his shoulder with left hand and placed her right palm in the small of his back. In one sudden motion, she straightened his back, a cracking noise echoing the halls. She stepped back to survey her work. Robin surprisingly enough, no longer felt any pain.

"How did you…?" he half asked as she grinned.

"That, Robin, is a secret," she replied with a wink. Starfire always managed to surprise him with something. He grinned himself, then cleared his face, focusing on the task at hand. A rumbling could suddenly be felt underneath them. Robin recognized it instantly as an explosion. He narrowed his eyes. Starfire's face had a look of resolve in them as she stood by her boyfriend's side.

"Let's go, Star," he stated as they went off to find the cause of the explosion.

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"Almost got it," Jack said as his shoulder once again connected with the door that kept them trapped. The results were the same as the other two dozen times he tried before; the door just would not budge. He tried prying it open again, but that, too ended in failure. Not one to give up, he continued to slam the door with his fists.

"I think you need to get of the way, dear," Maddie called out. Jack turned around, then ducked for cover. Maddie held in her hands a rather large bazooka, which was now aimed at the door. It hummed into life, the muzzle's glow growing in intensity. It finally fired, hitting its mark. The door buckled under the deluge of ghostly energy. She held on to the trigger for as long as she could, as she struggling to keep the beam steady. The blaster finally gave up, its energy cells now depleted. As the smoke cleared, Jack popped his head from his hiding spot. The door had given under the pressure of the blast, the metal still smoking and bent outwards towards the hallway. Maddie held up the bazooka in her shoulder and smiled in triumph.

"Let's go, Jack," she ordered as she sprinted towards the exit. Jack could only watch with a sheepish grin.

"Man, that's hot!"

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Danny fell down several floors in a matter of moments. Or rather, he smashed through the first couple of floors. He was able to turn intangible so he wouldn't get any more damage. He finally was able to loose enough speed to stop his descent. Unfortunately, he had already reached the basement garage. He shook off the blow he had just received. Damn, when did Skulker get that powerful? He was sure he was able to take the hulking hunter. Right as they struck each other, Skulker had moved faster than Danny had ever seen him move. Was this the power that master had given him?

Sensing danger, Danny deftly dodged to the right. Just then, Skulker descended onto where Danny was moments earlier. His strike left a small crater in the pavement, launching dust everywhere. He stood up, grin still plastered onto his face. Angered by Skulker's cockiness, Phantom launched himself at the ghost hunter. Skulker immediately opened fire from a shoulder mounted gun. Danny dodged each shot by zigzagging. He finally reached his destination, sending a devastating kick in Skulker's direction. Skulker blocked, but was pushed back a few feet by the blow. Pulling back from the kick, Danny followed with a low punch that pushed Skulker back even further.

Skulker, not satisfied with just defending, went on the offensive, swiping at Phantom with blinding speed. Danny barely dodged the hit, backed up a few feet before stopping. Skulker ignited two ecto-powered blades, one on each arm, then took a number of swings at Phantom. Danny focused as much ectoplasm as he could into his hands as possible, causing them the glow. This trick not only allowed his hits to cause more damage than they normally would, but allowed him to handle Skulker's blades, which he now either blocked or parried. Sparks flew as the blades connected with his hands. Knocking the blades out of the way, Danny found and opening and took it; with his fist still glowing, came in low and delivered a powerful uppercut into Skulker's chin, knocking him into Cyborg's T-Car.

Skulker's head was now bent in an unnatural angle. Danny watched in disgust as Skulker proceeded to straighten it with a metallic crack.

"Now that's more like it," he said. "But still lacking something." Four canons suddenly appeared from various places on his body. All taking aim at the halfa, they fired beams of orange energy. Danny quickly put up a shield, blocking the blasts in the nick of time.

"Is that the best you can…" he began before realizing a rather large missile was headed his way. "Aww, sh-!"

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"Looks like we're here," Cyborg called out as they made it to the location of the explosion. They could already see the concentration of smoke thickening as Cyborg's shoulder light tried to pierce through it. A door leading to a storage room was ajar and severely dented.

"Dude, looks like an army came through here," Beast Boy marveled. Jazz nodded in agreement. She was certain her brother was in the middle of it all.

"Cyborg!" some one called out. They all turned to find Robin and Starfire coming from the other direction.

"Is everyone unharmed?" Starfire inquired. Everyone chimed in their relative health.

"Wait, where's Raven?" Robin asked with concern. Nobody had seen her recently. "I knew it. The ghosts are probably after her. We have to hurry. Cyborg, see if you and Star can open this door."

"Will do, Rob," Cyborg replied. E and Starfire, being the strongest two titans, began pulling on each door, trying to pry them open. They eventually managed to make an opening large enough for them to enter. All the titans, along with Jazz, barged in, ready for a fight. The room seemed to have met a lot of damage. Smoke was thick in the air and many of the crates were covered in soot. In the middle of the room was a large gaping hole in the floor.

"Ahem!" a familiar voice called out. They all turned to find Raven, still stuck to the wall, in a rather agitated state. Her face had a thick layer of black soot covering it. "A little help, please?"

"Raven!" Starfire exclaimed. She fired a few well placed starbolts which freed Raven from her web prison. Not ready for her sudden descent, Raven unceremoniously landed on her bum with an "oof". This elicited a few chuckles from the boys, which were quickly silenced by a glare from her.

"What happened?" asked Robin.

"A ghost caught me off guard," Raven replied and she dusted herself off. "He was going to take the book, but then Phantom appeared."

"We saw him early, too," Beast Boy chimed in. "Boy, does he have an attitude problem."

"What did the other ghost look like?" Jazz asked with curiosity. Raven turned to her.

"He was in some weird armor," she replied. "He kept going on and on about being the best ghost hunter out there or something or rather."

"Wait, Skulker's here?" Jazz queried in surprise. Everyone else focused their attention on her.

"You know about him?" Cyborg asked. She nodded.

"He normally chases D-err Phantom around," Jazz explained. "Something about making him a pelt or something." Everyone made a disgusted face.

"So, where did they go?" Beast Boy asked. Another explosion rocked the Tower that very instant. The blast seemed to come from the bottom of the building.

"I think they're in the garage," Raven said sarcastically.

"Oh, no! My Baby!" Cyborg cried, afraid that his car would be damaged. He had just finished waxing it, too.

"Let's get down there before they damage the tower any more," Robin commanded. Starfire nodded, as she placed her arm under both his arms and flew him down the hole in the floor. Beast Boy followed, turning himself into a hawk as he dove down below himself. Cyborg turned to Jazz.

"You should stay here, where it's safe," he said to her.

"But I want the help!" she protested.

"It's too dangerous, Jazz," Cyborg said. "The way you describe this guy, he sounds like he's pretty tough. Plus with Phantom getting into things, it could get pretty hectic."

"But…" she began. She sighed in defeat. "Just be careful, alright?"

"No prob," he said with a grin. Raven, who had been waiting for him, created a disc of black energy for him to ride on. He jumped on his awaiting ride. "We're the Teen Titans, remember?" Raven descended along with Cyborg down to the ensuing battle.

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Skulker flew through the hole his missile had created to survey his handiwork. He could see Phantom still flying from the blast and land just a few miles away into the ocean. Phantom may have been a challenge before but now he was no match.

Skulker decided to follow and finish the fight when he was suddenly hit in the back by a powerful blast. Looking down, he could see a very much irate Cyborg, sonic cannon cocked and ready.

"Hey, you!! What did you do to my baby?!" he called out in fury. He fired off a few more blasts which Skulker dodged.

"I have no time for you, pest," Skulker growled. He hated being interrupted, especially by prey with no ability. He was hit again, this time from above by a number of exploding discs. He looked above to find Starfire, holding on to Robin. She let go of her boyfriend, letting him drop right above the hunter. Glowing bo staff in hand, he swung down, using the momentum of his fall to amplify his strike. Skulker barely blocked in time as he actually lost his altitude from the attack. He pushed him away, only to be assaulted by a barrage of starbolts. Raven created a dark platform for Robin to land on safely.

Meanwhile, a hawk, which was flying above suddenly broke into a steep dive. Building up its speed, it strangely began to grow in size and shape. The green mass took a different and more massive form. A green elephant took its place, trunk sounding loudly as it slammed into the unsuspecting Skulker. They fell sharply into the awaiting ocean, causing a large wave that hit the shore. Shortly later, a green seal jumped onto the rocks and transformed back into a grinning Beast Boy.

"Hey, I wanted to do that," Cyborg called out as he ran up to his teammate. "That bucket of bolts has to pay for messing with my T-Car!"

"Bucket of bolts?" a voice asked in amusement as Skulker rose from the ocean "Only one is I see is you and your outdated hardware."

"Outdated?" Cyborg seethed. "Why you little…" Cyborg's shoulders opened up, firing a dozen mini-missiles at the ghost. Each one struck its target with pinpoint accuracy as Skulker didn't even bother to dodge. Beast Boy shielded his eyes as the shock wave from the blast overtook them. As the dust cleared, both Titans stood there in awe as they saw that Skulker was surrounded by an orange shield. He smirked.

"Now it's my turn," the ghost said as a missile launching system sprang to life on his back.

"Where the heck does he fit all that?" Beast Boy asked as he and Cyborg ran for their lives. A hail of missiles rained done upon them, sending debris everywhere.

"You shall leave my friends alone, please!" Starfire roared as she descended on him, starbolts flying. She flew at him at her top speed, tackling him into the ground. He managed to kick her off, further annoyed. Holding out his wrist, he fired one of his nets, binding her arms and legs together. She yelped in surprise as she hit the ground, unable to move. He advanced to her, intending to put her out of her misery when he was once again struck by a volley of exploding discs.

Robin was running towards him at full speed, bo staff swinging. He brought the staff down from above his head, hitting Skulker's arms as he blocked it. Robin pulled back, spun around and swung again, this time low. He swung again and again, and each time he was blocked, though he did drive the ghost back. Skulker's blade sprung to life once again, slicing the bo staff clean in half in the middle. Not fazed by this, Robin simply twirled each half around like a pair of batons. He began his offensive again, trying to find any weak point in the robotic ghost's defense. The ghost hunter, tired with just blocking, lunged forward, catching Robin by surprise. He grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the ground, knocking the wind right out of him.

"I'll admit, you are an impressive adversary," Skulker admitted. "But this has to come to an end."

"Stop!" Raven cried out as a flying kick connected with the ghost. Unfortunately, it didn't have that much power behind, so Skulker easily shook it off. Raven landed on her bum for the second time that day, as she cursed under breath. Raven had never been that much of a hand to hand fighter. She always relied on her powers to fight in the Titan's many battles. With her powers not effective against this new foe, she was desperate to try anything.

"Ah, witch. So glad you can make it," he leered. "I have some unfinished business with you." Raven stood up and took a basic fighting pose, ready to make her last stand. She looked on at her friends, who were either knocked out or otherwise unable to move. She gulped as fear overtook her body.

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Danny cursed under his breath as he came to underwater. He leveled himself out and then rose to the surface as he found his bearings. The blast of the explosion not only knocked him outside but a good number of miles away from the tower as well. He could see a number of detonations at the base of the tower, signifying a battle was raging. Without him.

Danny cursed again at Skulker's cheap shot. He was going to pay for that. He shot like a rocket towards the signs of war. He poured all of his speed into it, leaving a large wake of water trailing him.

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Skulker was now a mere few feet away from Raven, as she didn't budge an inch. She couldn't decide whether it was from courage or from fear that she didn't back up. Probably a mixture of both. She unexpectedly felt something headed their way at top speed. She jumped out of the way, just as a black and white blur slammed into Skulker, knocking him into some nearby rocks. Raven was somewhat impressed at the speed at which he hit the robot.

"And that was for the cheap shot!" Danny quipped as he dove in again, his fists flaring. He slammed them into Skulker's chest, denting it in the process. "And that was for calling me a whelp all the time!" He hit him many more times, each hit causing a mini-crater in the hunter's armor. Danny jumped back, dodging a kick that was meant for him. Skulker stood up again, almost unfazed by the attack. Phantom watched in horror as each dent disappeared with a metallic pop. Raven noticed that the bracelet that Skulker had attributed to her unable to touch him was glowing brightly.

"You can't win, whelp," he said, launching another volley of missiles. Danny took to the sky, outrunning and dodging each missile as they tried to incinerate him. He began blasting them as they threatened to get close. As the last one exploded, he turned around just in time to block a blow from Skulker, who had been trying to catch him by surprise. Danny pushed him back and then sent a kick his way. As Skulker was sent flying, Danny powered up and fired an ecto-blast which accelerated him even further. Skulker fell with a thud into the shore of the Tower. Phantom proceeded to pelt him with a deluge of ecto-blasts, causing even more debris to fly. He waited in the sky for the smoke to clear, hoping to see his enemy beaten to a pulp.

What he got instead was an energy discharge to the face. Danny was temporarily blinded and thrown back by the sneak attack. Skulker swiftly closed the gap between them, swing down his blade once again at the seemingly unsuspecting Phantom. He met resistance, however, when his blade hit Phantom's shield, which he had erected to protect himself until his eyesight came back. Sparks flew as Skulker applied more pressure, trying to crack the shield like an egg.

"I don't think so!" Phantom declared as he performed the same trick he had done with the Octopus ghost earlier before: he focused on expanding his shield until it became a powerful blast that threw Skulker back. Back on the offensive, Danny approached Skulker and bombarded his body with kicks and punches. Putting his fists together, he launched Skulker back to the rocks down below. When Skulker touched down, Danny planted an ecto-powered punch into his gut. He jumped back, hoping that was the end of it.

"Is that all?" Skulker asked as he stood once again, the damage on his suit already healing itself.

"Damn," Danny cursed. He should have ended this fight already. Skulker just wouldn't stay down. That regeneration trick was getting real annoying.

At that moment, number of ecto-beams whizzed by the two combatants, who turned to see who else was interrupting their fight. Jack and Maddie Fenton, along with Jazz, were advancing towards them, bazookas in hand.

"Ha! Told yah they'd be here!" Jack cried out in triumph. "I almost hit one, too!"

"Your aim is really improving, dear," Maddie complimented. Her face turned stern as she eyed the two ghosts in front of her. "You ghosts aren't going anywhere!"

"Oh, please," Skulker exclaimed. "You're in our way!" He fired a salvo of missiles, which instead of heading towards Phantom, made a beeline towards the Fentons.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion for Danny as he tried to react. He kicked off, trying to desperately to reach his family in time before the warheads hit. Would he make it? Could he save them? He watched in horror as he got his answer; ever missile met their mark, creating a cloud of smoke in their wake.

"No!" he cried out, not believing what he had seen. He wasn't fast enough! He couldn't… he couldn't… The halfa fell onto his knees, grief clouding his mind.

Through the smoke, he could hear coughing. Could it be? Did they make it?

Raven sighed in relief as she dropped the shield she had used to protect the Fentons. Keeping the shield up was a task in and of itself, due to then power bang of the missiles. She also didn't have enough time create an entire dome; only a partial wall, which protected the her and the Fentons from the initial blast, but not from any stray debris from the sides. She turned around to see whether everyone was alright. Jack was able to use himself as a shield to protect his wife from stray debris. Other that his jump suit being torn, he and Maddie were fine

Jazz, unfortunately, wasn't so lucky. She held onto her bleeding shoulder as she gritted her teeth in pain. Blood had trickled down her arm, pooling on the rocks underneath her. Maddie, seeing her daughter's injuries, rushed to tend to her wound.

Danny froze at the sight of his hurt sister. He could feel it; a feeling of white hot anger well up as he pointed an accusatory finger at Skulker.

"YOU!" he cried as he began to see red. Skulker actually began to back up, as he had never seen Phantom so filled with rage. Attacking the whelp's family was probably not a good idea. He didn't back off fast enough as Phantom was on top of him before he could even blink. A single punch sent the hunter flying across the harbor into the docks n town. Phantom, his rage still burning, followed, intent on making him pay dearly.

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**Author's Notes: Duh Duh Duuuuuh. Looks like Skulker is going to get it.**

**Special thanks to:****Twilight-Phantom66****Nonasuki-chan****AirGirl Phantom****Darkcloudalpha****southernstarshadow****Cylon One****danna-chan****Shadow Crystal Mage****Plushiemon****December's Morose****Sasia93****Pieling****teenyugiohpotterphantom****egyptianqueen777****Shiva the Sarcastic****Tetsukon****Warrior of winds****Mako-Magic****SpartanCommander****HiddenAuthor****Buckyboy**


	13. Chapter 12: Hot and Bothered

**Author's Notes: Wow, in just 2 weeks I have already 3 chapters up? How can that be?? Well, for three simple reasons.**

**I can't stop writing. The fight scene, which will be finished in this chapter, is one that got me excited and I wanted to finish it before my inspiration was gone.**

**My last chapter was a major milestone: I hit 200 reviews! Thanks to all who reviews my chapters and kept me going.**

**This next chapter will sent my story and FanFic career over the 50,000 word mark. Another great milestone**

**I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to read, review and praise my story. I'm glad you've enjoyed so far and I hope I won't disappoint in incoming chapters.**

**In this chapter, we have the end of the fight, plus a guest appearance by the new villainess, as well as some angsty psychotic breakdown. Shall we begin?  
**

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Chapter 12: Hot and Bothered

Skulker had made a grave miscalculation. Just moments earlier, he had attacked the ghost child's parents in hopes of finally ending their meager existence. What he had not bet on was the fit of rage his prey, Danny Phantom, would be sent into due to his actions. Even now, Skulker was traveling at a great speed away from his intended targets, propelled by the attack of Phantom. He tried desperately to decelerate and regroup to form a new plan of attack. He finally stopped and righted himself, ready to fight back.

Or so he thought as before he could even blink, Phantom was upon him again. The ghost child's eyes filled with malice and spite. Skulker had never seen that look on his face before and frankly it disturbed him. A lot. He barely had time to register Phantom's appearance when the ghost teen went on the offensive, showering Skulker with a flurry of punches to the gut and followed up with a kick to the head, sending him back towards Titan's Tower. The kick had such force behind it that it sounded like a clap of thunder. The hunter could feel himself skipping across the water like a rock across the pond, each bounce shiver wobbling his senses even further. Just when had the whelp gotten this strong and this fast?

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Robin moaned as he tried to sit upright. His back injury had returned, sending waves of pain through his body as he tried to get up. He finally managed to get on his feet, surveying the damage done to his team. Spotting Starfire, who was still trapped inside a net, he ran towards her. Using his birdarangs, he managed to cut her loose.

"Oh Robin, are you well?" she asked, noticing his wincing face. She wanted to hug her boyfriend, but she knew it would only agitate his injuring more. "Our enemy was most formidable."

"He sure was, "Robin mumbled back. He never liked to admit defeat but that ghost had really done a number on them. They fought best as a team, but without Raven's help, he knew they had a disadvantage. Starfire graciously offered the boy wonder support as she helped him walk towards the others.

Cyborg was just now coming to, a headache coming at him in full force. Groaning, he did his normal system check up and damage assessment. He was dented and dinged all over his body and some systems were running at a lower efficiency, but other than that, he would live. He heard something scurry next to him. As he turned to look, he found a green rat, which had revealed itself from a hiding spot in between the rocks. The rat transformed into Beast Boy, who was now dazed and confused.

"Did anyone get the license plate of that submarine that just hit us?" he asked. He fell flat on his face as Cyborg chuckled slightly. With a few squeaks and grinding noises coming from his various joints, Cyborg was able to stand up, albeit a bit slowly. He slung BB over his shoulder as he made his way to where everyone else was.

Raven was exhausted. Holding up that shield against a blast that strong had really taken a lot out of her. She was currently on her hands and knees, trying desperately to catch her breath. Upon seeing her friend in distress, Starfire floated her self and Robin over to her fellow titan. Cyborg was there moments later.

"I see everyone is still breathing," the mechanical titan said rather jovially. Raven glanced at him, slightly exasperated at his crack as she sat up on her knees. An incoherent giggle could be heard from Beast Boy, who was still rather out of it. Cyborg froze when he noticed the Fentons surrounding their daughter, who looked like she was hurt and in serious pain. Unceremoniously dropping Beast Boy, he hurried towards them.

"Jazz! You alright?" he asked, concern heavy in his voice. She smiled at his worried tone and then winced as her mother tightened her makeshift bandage.

"I'll live," she replied, smiling again. Cyborg breathed a sigh of relief. He was beginning to like Jazz. A lot. He was happy the injury wasn't that serious.

"What happened to the ghost, anyway?" Robin asked. They were definitely not in shape for a rematch.

"I think you should ask Phantom," Raven replied. Just as she spoke, the sudden sound of thunder cracking echoed the bay. Turning, they saw something skipping across the water at tremendous speeds. They all ducked as the object in question slammed into the shore, sending debris flying in its wake. As the smoke cleared, they could see the cybernetic ghost that had attacked them earlier, rising from the crater his landfall had created. He looked up and they could see his eyes well up with terror. The titans looked up to where he was looking only to find Phantom, looking rather pissed off, building up a rather large ball of ectoplasm. Seeing where this was going, they all ran for cover as he sent the energy ball spiraling towards Skulker. The explosion rocked the entire island, as the Titans and the Fentons all hugged the ground, trying not to be blown away by the shockwave.

Skulker had barely managed to erect a shield in time to block the blast. He ran through a number of attack scenarios in his mind, trying to find one that would be most effective in this scenario. Only one was a viable option, however: retreat. Everything around him jerked as something hit his shield with great force. Phantom was now in front of him, smashing into the barrier incessantly, fists lit with energy and eyes lit with rage. Skulker could feel his energy cells wavering as the integrity of the shield decreased until there was nothing left that separated him from the enraged teen. Danny's fist pulled back and slammed into Skulker's face, cracking the metal and sending the hunter reeling. Phantom grabbed his arm, stopping him from going any further and punched him again. And again. And again, each time more powerful as the last. Not even Skulker's regeneration trick could save him, as the ghost teen's assault damaged him faster than his body could heal. The Titans watched in horror as Phantom viscously beat the hunter down to a metallic pulp.

Raven had seen enough. Though she was more than happy to see the ghost, which had threatened her friends' lives, beaten to an inch of his li-err, after-life, this would get them nowhere. He had information they needed. Raven decided to step in and stop this massacre before it went any further. She extended her powers, using them to bind Phantom's limbs, stopping him in his tracks. He struggled ferociously against his dark binds, growling almost inhumanly. Raven suddenly found herself trying not to faint from the strain of containing him.

"Let go!" he howled, wanting frantically to continue his onslaught. Sweat dripped down her face as the exertion took its toll. She was re-evaluating her decision of even intervening. "Let GO!" Phantom bellowed again, staring at his prey, who was struggling to back away slowly. Seeing his chance was disappearing quickly, Skulker hastily activated his rocket pack and launched into the sky.

"NO!!" the ghost boy cried, using all his strength to resist. Raven finally gave in, no longer able to hold him back. She fell back in exhaustion, being caught by Cyborg before she hit the ground. Phantom, meanwhile, had caught up to his fleeing enemy, stopping him in his tracks. He took a deep breath as he faced his foe. On the ground, Jazz's eyes went wide, the realization of what was about to happen hitting her.

"Everybody down, NOW!" she bellowed as loud as she could. Everyone wondered what the cause for alarm was, but obeyed obediently as they ducked for cover. They all watched as Phantom let loose with his most power attack: the ghostly wail. The waves of ecto-enhanced sonic energy hit Skulker instantly, knocking him back as if a building had hit him. He could feel himself falling apart literally as his metal skin buckled and deteriorated. His Right arm was the first to go and without the charm that had protected him before, everything else quickly followed. Random parts of his body began breaking off under the pressure.

Though Phantom, in his current state of mind, had the foresight of focusing his attack on just Skulker, the after effects still had a devastating effect on the area. Large waves were forming in the waters around them, beating on the shoreline with ferocity. The windows on the lower half of the tower cracked, some even shattering, unable to take the stress. Even the Tower itself seemed to groan under the pressure. The shockwaves threatened to blow everything away, including the young heroes who held on for dear life.

As quickly as the attack began, it stopped. Everything slowly began to settle. The Titans one by one began to stand up to survey the damage. Cyborg, who had been using his body to shield Raven, helped her get up and gave a low whistle as he saw the level of carnage. Robotic pieces scattered the sea line, many of which were merely small parts. Up above, Phantom floated, panting from the energy he just expelled. He landed, the same rage in his eye, marching towards Skulker's head.

"What the heck is he…?" Cyborg questioned as Phantom picked up the hunter's severed head. Phantom, using his intangibility, reached inside and pulled out a quivering mass of ectoplasm that was Skulker's true form. Everyone gawked as the small creature hollered in a miniature version of the menacing voice they had heard earlier.

"Please! Stop!" he cried, trying to sound commanding, but failing miserably. "Don't do it, Phantom." Danny just looked down and grinned wickedly. Skulker's eyes went wide as the ghost teen raised his glowing hand.

Suddenly, Danny felt something at the corner of his mind. He looked back down in his hand to find Skulker had vanished from his grasp. Looking up, he was shaken out of his murderous reverie to see her. The ghost girl in red grinned, with Skulker in hand.

"Can't have you destroy poor old Skulky, now can we?" she said playfully. Everyone, including Phantom, wondered who in the world she was. She gazed over at Phantom, looking the ghost boy over from head to toe, smirk growing wider with every passing moment. She licked her lips, like a lioness eyeing her next meal in Africa. "Aren't you a piece of work," she said to him. Phantom could inexplicably feel the temperature rise, his yearning for revenge long gone.

"Valara, what took you so long?" Skulker cried in outrage. "He was going to destroy me!"

"Now, now, Skulky," Valera replied. "I was just enjoying the show. You do make a good punching bag," she teased. Skulker was shouting even louder now, but she ignored him as she continued to visually undress Phantom. She created a bubble of fire that encased Skulker and then touched down, advancing towards Phantom. The white haired ghost teen receded, not sure what to make of his current situation. She sauntered towards him daringly, hips swaying with ever step. He hit something solid and realized he had hit the tower. Forgetting he could even go intangible, he waited with foreboding as she stopped in front of him.

"Tell me, boy," she began to ask enticingly. "Would you like to be mine?" Before he could stutter a reply, she pulled him into a kiss.

Everything seemed to stop as the Titans and the Fentons watched, flabbergasted. Only sound that was heard was a single "dude" that was uttered by Beast Boy. Danny could feel the air around him spike in temperature as he could feel himself begin to sweat profusely. His state of confusion wearing off, he hastily pushed off from her, shock still plastered on his face from her bold actions. She smiled again, finding his reaction amusing.

"I'm not going to bite," she said. "Much." Danny struggled to find courage to do something. A number of his rogue's gallery were women; Ember, Spectra, Desiree. And he had never had any problems fighting with them. Of course, none of them ever made a pass at him. Or kissed him. Shrugging it off, he grew a back bone and took a step.

Only to find she was gone again. He had hardly seen her move at all. Even his ghost sense had a hard time keeping track of this new ghost. He looked up to find her once again flying overhead, holding the orb that held Skulker in hand. She blew Danny a kiss.

"See you later, lover boy," she purred. Her boots flared, a flame lighting each heal as she sped away. He should have followed, but she was going much faster than he ever though he could. That and his jaw was still hanging from his face. The realization that he let Skulker get away finally set hold as he cursed under his breath at the turn of events. He turned to see if his family was safe only to find Raven in his face. She stared at him with a face full of anger and annoyance. The other Titans took a step back, not daring to get in between them. Not only because of Phantom's recent display of anger, but they knew all to well that Raven's temper was something not to be messed with.

"What do you want," he began, irritated that she was in his way. Before he even comprehended it, Raven had drawn back her fist and punched him right in the jaw. He faltered, the punch not powerful enough to knock him out, though it did catch him by complete surprise. The Titans were once again shocked into silence.

"You jerk," she barked, once again catching him off guard. "Were you trying to get us killed?" she continued, arms pointing towards the destruction around him. He looked around, as if he had seen the damage for the first time. Had he done all this?

"Not only did you almost trash everything, you let the bad guys get way!" she kept going, poking her finger into his chest with every word. She was actually pushing him back with each poke, as if he weighed mere ounces. He backed up to evade her finger and looked away to avoid her gaze. He looked over to the others and was shocked at what he saw: Fear.

They all looked at him cautiously, as if he could easily explode in their faces. The Fenton's usual bravado for ghosts was gone as they eyed him carefully, not sure what to think. Both Maddie and Jack blocked his path to Jazz, as if he would just lunge after her like the monster they thought he was. Even Jazz, who knew who and what he was, couldn't look him in the eye, her face filled with dread. They were all afraid and leery of him, as if he was…

"As if you were me," he could hear the voice say. Danny could once again here Him jeer. "Didn't I say it was a matter of time?" The laughter echoed in his head, causing a sharp pain. He grabbed his head as the laughter only got louder.

"Stop!" he said out loud, surprising Raven. He backed up again, terror seizing him. "Leave me alone! I'm not like that!" The others had confused looks on their faces as they watched the white haired ghost just break down. He flew like a rocket towards the sky, until he just disappeared from view.

"Danny," Jazz whispered under her breath as she reached her hand out after him. The mixture of pain and worry overtook her as she fainted.

"Dude, you broke him," Beast Boy said in awe. Raven turned towards him, growling in anger, which caused BB to shut up. No one else said a word as she marched back towards to the entrance of the tower.

After a moment, the Fentons quickly followed, with Jack carrying Jazz in his arms. Cyborg decided to escort them to the medical bay of the Tower. That is, if there a medical bay left. Starfire half-carried Robin inside as well, to tend to his wounds. Beast Boy brought up the rear, not wanting to be left behind.

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The damage to the tower was extensive to say the least. Broken windows, holes in ceilings and walls, a gapping whole leading to the garage were on the growing list of things that needed repair. Cyborg still was trying to figure out how to get the power and security systems up to full power. Not that it would have mattered if another ghost attack arrived, but it was the perfect opportunity for their more human adversaries to launch a sneak attack. He finally was able to route some power to at least the medical bay, which relieved him.

The team was just as ragged as their home. Cyborg was completely involved with getting the tower back up and running, ignoring his own wounds and damage. He only took breaks to check up on their 'patient', Jazz who was comfortably resting in their medical bay. Beast Boy only had a few cuts and bruises, which didn't bother him too much. Starfire had declined healing from Raven for Robin, which he vigorously objected to, until Starfire whispered something in his ear about a back rub, which quickly shut him up.

Raven had spent sometime in her room alone before finally coming out to see who she could heal. She used her powers to patch up Jazz's shoulder, for which Maddie and Jack were extremely grateful. As she was doing so, Maddie came to the sudden realization that she had forgotten something.

"Where is Danny?" she asked with motherly concern. She had not seen her son since before the attack and at the moment, worry was creeping up her mind at an alarming rate. She had been so worked up with catching ghosts and helping Jazz that she had completely forgot about her youngest child.

"Mmm," Jazz groaned as she conveniently woke up from her slumber. She opened her eyes, squinting at the fluorescent lights which blinded her momentarily. She glanced over to her mom, who was now having a nervous breakdown about the well being of her son. "Mom?"

Maddie glanced over to her daughter, relieved she was awake. He mind jumped back to Danny, parental instinct taking over with a vengeance.

"Jazz honey, have seen your brother recently?" she asked, trying not to sound anxious. Jazz froze up for a moment, but then relaxed as her mind went to work on a convincing lie. Raven noticed her tensing up while she was still healing her shoulder.

"I saw him before I went to find you guys," she lied deftly. "I told him to stay inside our room. He's probably still there." Finding Jazz's answer satisfactory, Maddie calmed down, her worries abated. Raven's eyebrow rose knowingly. Why was she lying? Raven once again felt she was being sucked in to the mystery that was Danny Fenton and the effect he had on his family. If he wasn't in his room, then where was he during the attack? And was he really alright?

Raven finished her job, which Jazz thanked her for. Jazz felt much better, as if she had never hurt her arm in the first place. She was eager to get back to her room and hopefully to find Danny. Raven finding nothing else wrong with her, discharged her from the medical area, sighting that she needed plenty of rest in bed. Jazz agreed and headed out to search for her brother.

Raven's mind was in a flurry as the events of the day repeated themselves in her mind. Phantom's attitude was, to put it mildly, highly erratic. His sudden rage when the Fentons were attacked was mystery enough but his breakdown afterwards was even more perplexing. She wondered, despite herself, what was going on inside his head. She actually felt somewhat sympathetic of him, despite his rude behavior.

She actually considered herself very lucky. The level of power he showed during his moment of fury was just frightening. She was exhausted as it was, and he could have easily attacked her when she foolishly confronted him. At the time, she was pretty angry herself and it clouded her better judgment.

Her anger was what made her even more sympathetic for him. She had a temper herself, which she continuously kept in check due to her emotionally-triggered powers. It was something she grudgingly admitted inherited from her father, Trigon. Get her angry enough and her dark side took over, making her anyone who was in her way wish they had never been born, literally. What confused her was why he had gotten angry. It was as if he had an unhealthy obsession in the Fentons and their well being, which left her befuddled. Why did he care?

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Jazz hurried a long towards the living area of the tower, slowing down with every step. She stopped abruptly and reconsidered to whether or not she truly wanted to find her brother at the moment.

She had seen him fight many times, sometimes without him ever knowing. He always had an air of playfulness whenever he faced off against another ghost, often letting witty banter fly along with his blasts. Of course, that was one when Danny was still happy. But she had never seen him fight like how he fought today. Or at least not the Danny she cared about.

He was vicious, almost animal like. He attacked Skulker without mercy, even after the hunter had given up and pleaded for mercy. His eyes were so empty, and yet at the same time full of rage. She was scared of him. She didn't even know little brother anymore. She wondered if anything she said would ever bring back the old Danny; the lovable, playful Danny that everyone seemed to miss. She wondered if he was so far gone that he'd never return.

She found herself in front of their room without even realizing it. Calming herself down, she opened the door, to find the room pitch black.

"Hello?" she called back. She could see something move in the corner. She put a firmer tone in her voice. "Danny, is that you?" As her eyes adjusted she could see that it was him. He was huddled in the corner of his bed, arms wrapped around his knees in a fetal position. He was rocking back and forth, mumbling incoherently about something she couldn't quite understand. He looked up at her, his eyes full of confusion and sadness.

"Go away," he simply said, so quietly that Jazz could hardly hear him.

"Danny, we need to talk. Now," she said firmly, trying to channel her mother's motherly authority. Danny looked down again, focusing on nothing in particular.

"Just go, please," he pleaded. All he wanted was to be alone.

"Danny,' she started again.

"Keep away from me!" he screamed, startling her. She backed up away a few steps. "Just...please," he continued earnestly. "I'll hurt you again. Just go." He held his head in his hands as he felt another wave of pain sweep through his head. "Stop! I'm not like you!"

Jazz's worry for her brother grew exponentially, fearing the worst for him. He was having another breakdown, but this one seemed more severe then the last one over a year ago. She wanted so sincerely to help him, but he always kept himself barricaded. She needed to break through his barriers and quickly.

"Danny, please. I just want to help," she soothingly said, trying to relieve is anxiety. The look on his face was frantic.

"Leave me alone!" he screamed at the top of his lungs as he transformed and bolted through the ceiling of their room. She wanted to follow, but had no clue where he was headed to. She sighed as fell onto her knees and began to sob into her bed.

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**Author's Notes: Now for the end credits :p**

**Thanks to all who posted in the last chapter:****danna-chan, RikuLuvr, Buckyboy, piloneo, southernstarshadow, Shiva the Sarcastic, Pieling, Twilight-Phantom66, katiesparks, phantom-willow217, Plushiemon, Warrior of winds, Tetsukon, HiddenAuthor, Cylon One, December's Morose, lynn138, Mako-Magic, FantomoDrako, egyptianqueen777, Nonasuki-chan, teenyugiohpotterphantom**

******Will the next chapter come out as quickly? Maybe, Maybe not. Right now I'm pooped and I still have an essay to write for class. I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor. See you next time.**

******-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron (Now with 10x more funk than ever before!)**


	14. Chapter 13: Through the Looking Glass

**Author's Notes: Another one fresh off the presses. I hope you enjoy this one. I got myself real depressed writing up the first scene. Writing for a depressed character really takes a lot out of you, because you're pretty much channeling their emotions and have to put yourself in their shoes to get it sounding right. Overall I sorta like the result. Makes me feel sorry for putting Danny through the ringer. Almost. Bwahahahahahah!!**

**I'd also like to note that I have a forum up for the story. There is some good discussion right now on who exactly the "master" really is. You can also add your complaints, your suggestions or just drop me a line. I'd really appreciate your feedback.**

**Enjoy the emo angst and all the craziness in this chapter!**

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Chapter 13: Through the Looking Glass

He was lost, confused, and alone. His way, his purpose, his reason to live was lost in the shuffle of his life. What he had thought he had lived for, what he had thought was right was now mixed up. Left was now right. Up was now down. He didn't know what to do anymore.

That other voice had silenced itself, its laughter still ringing in his ears. He was wet and cold. He didn't realize till now that he was outside and it was raining, so lost in his thoughts that the outside world didn't matter much to him.

He had failed them. He couldn't protect them. No matter how strong he got, no matter how fast he flew he couldn't get there fast enough. Fate was always one step ahead. The image of the explosions that had almost ended tier existance still flashed in his mind. They almost died because he wasn't strong enough. Jazz almost died because he wasn't strong enough.

He had tried so hard. Trained so much. He pushed himself as far as he could physically go and then some. He tried to turn them away, for their own good. His life was one of many dangers. But, despite all of his efforts, despite all of his sacrifices, he was still going to fail. He was going to loose them all. They would all die and then he would be all alone. And be just like Him, with nothing but pain and sadness to keep him company.

He wondered how they could do it. How they could save the world, save their city and not bat an eye. How they could be worshiped, be so perfect. They could never understand what he had gone through. Of course they couldn't. They were heroes. They had made it. They passed all their challenges, achieved all their goals, crossed over all their hurdles with flying colors. He was just a freak, a loser who dared to be one of them and had fallen by the wayside.

They were all gonna die. And it was all his fault. His fault for existing. His fault for bringing them pain, for bringing them danger. His fault for being alive.

They feared him. It would have been better if they had just been angry. Their fear had hurt him even more than their hatred of him. Why couldn't they understand? Why couldn't they see he was trying? Instead, they feared what he was. He was a freak, a loser. And soon, he would be their end.

NO! He couldn't. One side of him pleaded for him to continue, to strive to be something he was not. To do good. To protect. But the other side of him told him to just give and wait patiently because the end was coming soon. They would all die. He would be alone.

And it was all his fault.

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"Valara, please!" the diminutive ghost known as Skulker cried. He was still trapped inside the flaming globe that was his prison. Valera was currently taking him to her father to report Skulker's failed mission. "Let me go back! I can't go back to the master empty handed."

"And what do we send you in, Skulky?" Valara asked mischievously. "You certainly can't retrieve Daddy's things looking like that."

"We can go see Technus! He'll make me as good as new," he proposed. "Heck, I'd rather face Phantom like this than to see the master. He doesn't tolerate failure."

"That's what makes it so interesting to watch," she replied, which caused him to gulp. His future wasn't looking so bright.

They once again arrived at her father's portion of the ghost zone, its orange hue clashing with the rest of the area. She entered her father's chamber and then bowed, presenting Skulker.

"I have a present for you, Daddy," she said gleefully. Skulker cowered in his prison, much like the Box Ghost had one day before. The irony of the situation was bashing his mind like a jackhammer He could feel the gaze of the master bearing down upon him.

"Do you have anything to say before I pass judgment upon you, hunter?" he asked, a hint of peril in his voice. Skulker was too scared to even answer.

"If I may, Daddy," Valara stepped in. Snapping her fingers, a ring of fire appeared, the middle replaying the day's events. Their master's eyebrows arced at the appearance of Phantom, as he intervened. He also noted the ghost child's display of power.

"So, we have a new player," he said.

"Yes! If it wasn't for him I'd have already secured the book for you," Skulker explained and pleaded.

"Skulker?"

"Yes Master?"

"Shut up."

"We may be able to use him, Daddy," Valara suggested.

"Indeed," he replied thoughtfully. "He seems to have much potential. He could be very useful in my future plans."

"May I be the one who persuades him?" she asked, trying to hide her enthusiasm. The figure behind the fire actually smiled at his daughter's fowardness.

"Very well then, my daughter," he answered. "He seems to be a suitable mate for you." She blushed, surprised that her father easily saw her true motives. She bowed, and then headed out to execute her plan. "Now, as for you, Skulker…"

As she left the castle, screams of pain echoed the halls, followed by a demented cackle.

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

Raven couldn't sleep. She glanced over at the clock beside her bed and sighed. It was well past 2 o'clock in the morning. The night was quiet. No criminal elements had caused in trouble in the past few days. Robin and Cyborg were taking turns guarding the Tower the old fashion way by patrolling the perimeter. She had herself put a warning spell around the tower, which would let her know of any harm before it reached tem. They were, for all intensive purposes, relatively safe.

Even with those safeguards, she couldn't shake off the aura of foreboding that seemed to weigh her down. The feeling that haunted her right before her father made her purpose known to her. Something bad was going to happen.

She thought back to the two mysteries that both seemed to have the key to this feeling of dread. The mystery behind Danny Fenton, the quiet boy who had the bad attitude and the sad eyes. Just like hers. And the mystery of Danny Phantom, the tortured soul that seemed to be troubled by a dark and lonely past. Also like her. At a passing glance, both their similarities to her were almost eerie. She knew there was something in common between them, something that would make it easier to solve their dilemma.

Danny Fenton seemed to fear Phantom. She wondered why. The image that Danny had in his head was still fresh in her mind. Was that what Phantom really looked like? Was that how Danny saw Phantom? As a monster?

And why was Phantom so preoccupied with the Fentons? The endangering of them seemed to drive him mad with rage. He seemed to see it as a duty but took it such a degree that bordered on obsession.

Why did she care? Why did she want to help? She kept asking herself that over and over. Maybe it was because they were so much like her. She had felt the same emotions that seemed to permeate the being of those two. The same sadness. The same despair. The same feeling of helplessness. She had felt those before and she'd be damned if she let someone else feel the same way. Not if she could help it.

She sighed as she looked up at her ceiling, no closer to the answers she hoped to find. She was unsure if there were any answers to find. As she lay there, she could feel it. A wave of emotions washed over her. Sadness, pain and despair, all of which she was all too familiar with, was assaulting her mind. The only problem was that these weren't hers. She could feel them coming from many floors above her. They were so strong that they threatened to overwhelm her. It took all of her training to keep her own emotions in check and to filter out the incoming ones. Grabbing her cloak, she phased through the ceiling towards the source, hoping to reach there in time before something terrible happened,

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

Raven's search led her to the Tower's roof. Rain was pouring down heavily, as if to wash away the damage caused earlier today. She canned the rooftop till she saw him. He stood there, near the ledge, looking out at the city, having not yet notice her. She began to advance slowly towards him, so she wouldn't startle him over the ledge. As she got closer, she could make out the raven hair that was now limp and wet on his head. His fists, which were curled up into balls, were shaking ferociously. The closer she got to him, the heavier the emotions were. As soon as she felt she was close enough to catch him if he fell (or decided to jump), she chose to try and talk to him.

"Danny?" she asked cautiously. His head shot up immediately, as he looked around for the source of the voice. He finally spotted her, his eyes full of fear.

"Stay back," he replied. She stopped advancing, hoping to make him feel not threatened. She tried to muster her most soothing voice, hoping to calm him down.

"It's alright, Danny," she said. He looked at her and sighed.

"No, it's not alright," he replied sadly. "It's never alright. Not with me."

She kept receiving strange whispers of thoughts coming from his mind as he spoke. "It's not all right…they're all gonna die…my fault." She frowned at these thoughts; they were definitely not healthy.

"Maybe I can relate?" she offered sincerely. "I can listen, if you want." He snorted a laugh.

"How could you relate? You're one of them," he pointed out accusingly. She cocked her eyebrow incredulously. What did that mean?

"Try me," she challenged. "I might understand more than you know."

Danny looked at her. "Tell her," a voice in the back of his mind said. The voice seemed so familiar, like he hadn't head it in a while. The truth was, ever since he made the sacrifice of pushing his friends away, loneliness nearly consumed his being. He missed talking to Tucker and Sam and even Jazz. He had a sudden urge to just tell this stranger, this person he never gave a second thought, all his secrets, all his fears, all his pain. All he wanted was release, for someone to talk to. Should he? Could he trust her? Would it even matter?

"Hello, Phantom," a new voice purred. He looked wide-eyed.

"Who are you?" he asked out loud. Raven frowned slightly at this new turn of events. Who was he talking to? She hadn't heard any voice but she was beginning to feel another presence,

"Don't you remember me?" the new voice asked. He could tell that she was smiling. "I told you I'd come see you again. Would you like to come out and play?"

Raven watched as Danny held onto his head, howling in pain. She rushed over to him quickly, trying to reach him before he fell of the wrong side of the ledge. She reached out with her powers and was able to grab him just in the nick of time. He screamed again and just as quickly as it began, his screaming ended as he passed out on the roof.

She looked at the troubled teen as he lay there. His eyebrows were furrowed and his teeth gnashing. She bent down, holding a hand out to his clammy forehead. She could definitely fee another presence. Someone else was invading his mind. She wondered who and why would anyone want to violate this already tortured soul. She wondered if it was Phantom. Was that the connection between them?

Finding that this was not the place for wondering, she used her powers to levitate Danny, then phased through the ceiling to her room. Once they arrived, she removed her wet cloak and Danny's soaking outer clothes, using her powers of course. She blushed as she performed her task, looking away as to not see anything inappropriate. She used a clean sheet to cover his body and keep him warm.

Finally making him comfortable, she sat next to him Indian style. She normally didn't like entering into other people's minds. She normally respected people's privacy when it came to thoughts and memories. But at the moment she needed to save Danny from whoever was invading his mind first. She closed her eyes, chanting her signature magic phrase. A few moments later her soul-self, or her spirit form, emerged from her body. It turned towards Danny and dove in to parts unknown.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Danny didn't know how long he had been falling. He didn't know if he would even stop. He should have tried to fly but at the moment he didn't care. So he just kept falling.

He eventually came to an abrupt stop, hovering in empty space. He lazily looked around, wondering where the heck he was. Wasn't he outside just moments ago?

"Oh Phantom," she called out. He struggled to find the speaker, but saw only darkness. "Where are you, my dear Danny?" He blinked and swiftly found that the space wasn't so empty anymore. His eyes were flooded by the sudden influx of red. He was in a room, to be precise a bedroom. Every piece of furniture, every wall and even the bed was in a diffrent shade of red. Occasionally, there was a black or brown here or there that accented the red. Red candles were lit throughout the room, providing the lighting. Danny rubbed his eyes, not quite sure whether what he was seeing was real or not.

He also observed that the room was extremely hot. It was as if someone had left the heater on high and broke of the knob. He pulled on his collar, the heat causing him to perspire profusely.

"Oh there you are!" her voice cried. He turned around to look at the bed that was previously empty to find her; the ghost girl who had rescued Skulker just hours before. His body tensed up as he readied himself for battle. She watched him curiously and then giggled.

"I thought I told you already," she cooed. "I don't bite." She patted the spot beside her invitingly. "I just want to chat."

"I think I'll stand here, thank you," he replied cautiously. Valara pouted.

"Don't be like that," she playfully whined. Danny blinked; and found himself suddenly sitting next to her on the bed. He looked around, confused as to what just happened. She took advantage of his disorientation by grabbing on to his arm.

"I'm so glad you changed your mind," she said, her voice dropping down an octave. Danny gulped, feeling his temperature rising once again. She placed a hand on his cheek. "Do you feel better now?"

"What?" he asked in bewilderment.

"I heard my poor ghost boy crying, so I had just had to make him feel better," she explained, drawing closer. As she squeezed, she pressed her breasts into his arm, causing his face to get redder by the second. "Is it working?" she asked as if she was clueless of the discomfort her actions were causing him. She smiled with fake sweetness.

"Don't worry. Valara will make it all better."

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Raven's eyes opened slowly as she shook off a wave of dizziness. She sat up, remembering the reason why she was there in the first place. Mindscapes were the mental representation of a person's psyche and they varied from person to person. This was actually the first time she visited someone else's mindscape other than her own. Dealing with her own complexities was bad enough. She rather she had not invaded the privacy of Danny by entering his mind, but the situation was dire. She looked around her new surroundings with curiosity.

She was in the middle of a city that was unfamiliar to her. The buildings were smaller and everything wasn't as big as they were in Jump city. She recognized it instantly as the city she had seen in that vision in the gym. The city wasn't as decrepit as the one in the vision, but it did look like it had seen better days. She speculated that it was Amity Park, Danny's hometown.

What caught her off guard was not the city's decaying state, but the sky. Instead of blue or red like in her vision, the sky was swirling mass of green, giving the city an eerie emerald glow. She gawked as she noticed that doors littered the sky, instead of stars. She wondered what the significance was of the unusual sky, as it probably had an important part in Danny's psyche. She also observed that the buildings stopped abruptly at a certain point. Taking flight, she came to the realization that there was nothing else beyond the city line, not even ground. The city was literally floating in green space.

She began her search, looking to find anything that would help her find the intruder. Unfortunately, she seemed to be unsuccessful with her investigation. She did notice that the buildings on the edge of the city were in worse shape than the buildings were in the middle; it was as if the City was being corroded from the outside in. She definitely didn't like the implications of this new development.

She wondered why she hadn't met anyone yet, if there was anyone to meet. In her own mind, her mindscape (which was affectionately dubbed by her as "Nevermore"), was inhabited by her emotions, each of which were multi-colored versions of herself. She contemplated whether Danny's mind was the same. They would be the most likely candidates to help her find who and what was the cause of all this.

She was interrupted in her thoughts by a sudden cackling. She distinguished the source immediately. It was him. The twisted version of Phantom she had seen in that vision. He appeared before her much in the same way he had before, appearing from the shadows. His red eyes regarded her in amusement, wondering what to make of her. A toothy grin adorned his face while is hair flared in the night. She was unsure of why he looked so different than the Phantom she had met before. Was that his true form?

"Looks like we have an uninvited guest," he sneered. "How exactly did you get here again?"

"I could ask you the same," she replied, trying not to show she was intimidated. He took her by surprise when he began to laugh loudly at her reply.

"Silly girl," he answered sinisterly, "I live here. Do you like what I've done to the place?" He proudly pointed to the city around them. "I do enjoy making this mine." Raven glared at him.

"Yours? Last I checked, this belonged to Danny," she said, disputing his claim.

"You would think that, wouldn't you?" he said. "I see you haven't quite figured it out yet."

"Figured what out?" she inquired. His smirk grew even larger.

"Not that you'd live long enough to find out," he answered as his hands came to life with green energy. Before she even knew it, she was reeling back from a blast and fell down to the ground below with a thud.

"That hurt," she said to no one in particular as she rose up to her feet. Phantom was coming in for another attack, his laughter echoing in the night. She didn't know if she could take another blow from him, as she was still weak from her trip. Just then, she felt someone tackle her, knocking her out of the way before another green energy beam hit her. She and her mystery rescuer tumbled for a bit before finally coming to a stop. She opened her eyes to find that she was saved by none other than Danny Fenton.

Except that he was much different than the Danny Fenton she had met. He was much scrawnier and his hair was a lot neater than the wild mane she had seen him with. He also had a pair of glasses sitting precariously on his nose, which he pushed up to keep from falling off. He helped her up, grabbed her hand and pulled her along as they ran for dear life.

"This way," he said as he led them away from the psychotic ghost that was now chasing them. She followed without question as they weaved their way through back streets and alley ways. She observed they were now headed straight for a strange building that was much different from the ones around it. Two things about the building were quite unique: a giant flashing sign that read "FentonWorks" hung from the side of the building, as well as a large, UFO-looking attachment that sat on top. They both made a dash for the door, which Danny promptly locked behind him. He then pressed a button on the panel next to the door. Raven watched in fascination as a glowing shield sprang to life around the building, blocking the path of their pursuer.

The stopped to catch their breath inside, both of them very much exhausted. She looked around what seemed to be a normal living room, though it seemed like it hadn't been used for a long time. Sheets covered much of the furniture and thick layer of dust covered everything else. She was started as Danny abruptly grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.

"You're here!" he cried out with a bit too much enthusiasm. "Finally, someone who can help." Realizing what he was doing, he let go, blushing slightly. "Sorry about that. I got a little carried away." He straightened his glasses again.

"It's no problem," Raven replied. "You're one of Danny's emotions, right?" she asked. He stared in surprise.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"I have some experience in the matter," she simply stated he nodded in approval.

"That's right. You're an empath. I read your file," he said knowingly.

"File?" she asked. She wanted to know what that meant.

"Err…Danny likes to do … research before he meets people," he said carefully. His finger was once again pushing his glasses back, which she deduced was something he did when he was nervous.

"Oooo K," she replied. "Which emotion are you again."

"I'm sorry, where are my manners?" he said, as he held out his hand. "I'm Danny's Wisdom. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

* * *

**Author's Notes: And there we go, another installment! I hope you enjoyed reading this, as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Special thanks for the following people for taking the time to review the last chapter. Your replies are on the way. egyptianqueen777, southernstarshadow, Twilight-Phantom66, piloneo, AirGirl Phantom, katiesparks, Warrior of winds, fan-girls2.0, Darkcloudalpha, SpartanCommander, Mako-Magic, danna-chan, fadedphantom, Calico Kitty 09, Nonasuki-chan, Buckyboy, Tetsukon, Pieling, RikuLuvr, FantomoDrako, the fat ninja, Plushiemon, December's Morose, K Phusion, and Shiva the Sarcastic**

** Until next time!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron  
**


	15. Chapter 14: Dream Girl

**Author's Notes: Oh, the coincidence! The irony! Chapter 14 falling so near to Valentines Day (2/14). Not only that but this chapter has the lovely Valera trying to make Danny her love toy. Uh Oh.**

**In terms of future updates, I'll try to do weekly chapters. I've got a busy workload this week and the week afterwards. I will finish this story for you guys, so don't worry. Plans for the next one are already churning in my teeny little head. Insert evil cackle **

**And now on with the show**

* * *

Haunted Destiny Chapter 14: Dream Girl

"I'm sorry, where are my manners?" he said, as he held out his hand. "I'm Danny's Wisdom. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Raven accepted the hand.

"So where are we exactly?' Raven asked as she continued to look around.

'This is home," he replied. "Or rather a representation of Danny's home back in Amity Park. It's not much, but its home."

"Any reason why everything is covered up?" she asked curiously. She noticed him fidgeting and pushing up his glasses yet again.

"This place hasn't been used much recently," he replied carefully. Raven only nodded, not wanting to pry. But he was definitely hiding something.

"How can I help exactly?" Raven inquired. "And where are the other emotions? Can't they help us?" He fidgeted again.

"There aren't many of us left," he replied sadly. "The ones who are left are in hiding. The rest have been either captured or…absorbed by Dan."

"Dan? You mean Phantom?" she asked. "Is he the one changing the mindscape?"

"Yes. And no," he replied, fingers adjusting his glasses once again. Raven was getting a bit irritated. He was dancing around an issue that could probably help in this situation. She watched him pace a bit, as he struggled to find the right words to say.

"Do you at least have a plan to kick him out?" she asked irritably. "Or do I have to do all the work?"

"Dan isn't the issue here. At least not the big issue here," he replied. Raven's annoyance turned into confusion.

"Isn't he the one who is invading?" she questioned in incomprehension. "I thought he was the problem." She noticed he was fidgeting yet again.

"This was harder than I thought," he mumbled to himself. He began pacing again. Raven's patience was wearing thin.

"I know this isn't any of my business or anything," she began, letting a little bit of her impatience slip in her voice. "But if there is something that could help me help you, please explain it. I can't stay here forever, you know."

"Dan is… a little tricky to explain," he finally answered. "Dan is a conglomerate of Danny's negative emotions. About a year ago something… happened which caused them to gain a foot hold in here. They've been taking over ever since."

"That actually is eerily familiar," she said. She noticed something about his story. "So why does he look like that?"

"He's… taken on the form of Danny's most rooted fear," he explained. Raven couldn't help but feel he was still omitting something.

"So Danny is afraid of Phantom?" she asked.

"He's afraid of that Phantom," he replied. He was getting even more nervous by the second.

"So, there's more than one Phantom?" she asked, trying to get things straight.

"That's not the point!" he exclaimed. "The point is he's not the invader. There's someone else inside, other than you. They're probably using a dream as a hiding place. We need to get them out before they cause any more damage."

"Why would anyone want to attack Danny?" she asked.

"I'm not sure exactly," he lied. She glared at him.

"That's it, I'm leaving," she stated.

"What? Wait! Why?" he asked fearfully. "We need you help!"

"I can't help if all you are doing is lying to me," she shot back. "You haven't given me a straight answer since I've gotten here." He massaged his temples furiously.

"He's going to kill me for this," he said to himself. He sighed heavily, headed for the kitchen. "Follow me." She complied, following him into the kitchen and down a flight of stairs. They arrived into what seemed to be the basement. Except it looked more like Cyborg's workshop more than anything else. The floor, walls and ceiling were covered with metal plating. Tables were littered with gadgets. But the most interesting thing was something that was covered by a cloth on the far wall. Wisdom uncovered it to reveal a large, metallic doorway. Two metallic doors blocked the path to whatever was on the other side. Wisdom planted a thumb into one of the panels, activating the doors.

Raven's eyes widen as she was met with the sight of a swirling green portal. It looked very similar to the sky of the city above them. She was about to ask if there was any significance to that when she saw that he was already at the opening, beckoning her to follow him inside. He jumped in. Raven shrugged and followed suit.

She looked around her new surroundings. They were what appeared to be the same "space" that currently occupied the sky of Danny's mindscape. They were floating in the vast green space, which was littered with a vast variety of doors. They varied in shape, size and color as they floated around them.

"Welcome to the Ghost Zone," Wisdom announced. "Or rather a mental representation of the Ghost Zone. It's the dimension where ghosts live."

"And your parents have a portal there in your basement?" she asked incredulously.

"They're…eccentric like that," he replied with a sheepish grin. Raven was slightly taken aback, since had yet to see the real Danny smile at all. "Anyway, in here, each door represents a different memory or dream," he explained.

"And we're here why?" she asked impatiently.

"Yes, right, well," he began. "There is a memory here I need to show you that'll clear up a few things. I'm going to get into a whole lot of trouble for this, though. Can't be helped. Now where is that door again…?"

He began looking from door to door, trying to find the right one. Raven sighed at this little detour, but took the chance to look around. She marveled at how far the ghost zone stretched. She was interrupted by Wisdom declaring he had found the desired door. She flew up to where he was. The door in question was black with a white frame. In the center of it was the symbol of Danny Phantom.

Wisdom Danny turned to her before opening the door. "What you see here might be a bit shocking. Please any questions till after it's over," he explained. And with that he gave a tug. He grabbed her hand and before she could protest they were already through the door.

DPRADPRADPRADPRADPRADP

She was once again disoriented as a blinding light flashed around them. She rubbed her eyes as her vision once again returned. Once the spots cleared her sight she found herself once again in the Fenton basement/ lab. A look from Wisdom quelled any questions that began to bubble up within her. She noticed that there were footsteps and voices coming from the stairway that led to the lab.

"So which one of your parents' kooky inventions are we looking at again?" a feminine voice asked.

"They called it a ghost portal or something like that," said a voice Raven recognized as Danny. "It's supposed to open a portal to the dimension ghosts live." The sources of the voices finally made it to the bottom of the stairs and into Raven's field of vision. The first to come down was Danny, but this one was much different than the Danny she had met these past few days. He was much younger not as trim as the modern day Danny, though he wasn't as thin as Wisdom. What threw her off was how happy he seemed to be. His lips were displaying the same sheepish grin that she had seen Wisdom use and his eyes seemed to be livelier compared to how she first met him.

The second person to come down the stairs was the female voice who had spoken earlier. She was Danny's age and wore nearly all black, accented by purples and green: black shirt with purple logo, plaid skirt, and purple stockings. Black combat boots completed the ensemble. She had an odd mini-ponytail at the top of her head and amethyst eyes that were similar to Raven's own eyes.

The final person of the group was an African-American boy, also at a similar age. A red beret adorned his hat as well as a pair of glasses, which Raven noticed matched Wisdom's pair. He also wore a yellow shirt and green cargo shorts. He followed Danny and the girl as Danny showed off the currently in-active ghost portal.

"Dude, this is pretty cool," the boy exclaimed.

"Yeah, but it doesn't even work, Tucker," memory-Danny replied. "Like any of their other inventions work. Everybody knows there's no such thing as ghosts."

"I don't know, Danny," the girl replied. "Stranger things have happened."

"Yeah, you're right Sam," Danny agreed. "Stranger things happen. All the time. In my house." Sam giggled.

"It'd be cool, though. Going into another dimension, I mean," she continued. "Maybe they just forgot something. Your dad is pretty absent minded."

"Yeah, maybe we can fix it," Tucker agreed. "I'm pretty good with tech. Maybe I can help"

"More like obsessed," Sam commented. Tucker glared a bit while Danny chuckled.

Raven smiled at the banter between them. It was a change from the reclusive, quiet person Danny was currently. She wondered what had happened to make him change so much.

"You know what, you're right," memory-Danny said. "It would be pretty cool. Plus my parents would be pretty happy if we got it working." Memory-Tucker nodded in agreement.

"It's settled, then," memory-Sam replied. They began examining the portal, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Memory-Danny meanwhile was headed to a storage cabinet. He pulled out a hazmat suit that seemed eerily familiar to Raven. It was primarily white with black collar, belt, gloves and boots. Wait, where had she seen something like that before. Didn't Phantom wear something like that? He slipped into the suit, zipping it up the front. He then proceeded to the opening of the inactive portal, preparing to enter.

"Hold on!" memory Sam called out. Danny looked back at her questioningly as she approached. She pulled off a sticker which had been attached to the front. It had the face of Mr. Fenton on it. Giving an approving nod, she beckoned him to continue. He entered, looking to see if he could find anything wrong with his parents' invention.

Raven watched with a feeling of foreboding at the pit of her stomach. As she observed, all the pieces slowly fell into place. How Danny Fenton and Phantom looked amazingly similar. How the jumpsuit Memory-Danny was wearing was an inverted version of Phantoms. How Danny was never around whenever Phantom showed up. And the names were so similar. She turned to Wisdom, who only gave a knowing nod.

"Why would anyone put an on-switch inside of here?" memory Danny asked from inside the portal. Then all everyone could hear was screaming. A bright, blinding green light erupted from the circular device. Raven physically flinched as she helplessly viewed. Danny's friends shielded their eyes from the light, calling out his name in fear. The light subsided, reduced to only a dull green glow. Tucker and Sam looked on, hoping their friend was alright. They could make out a figure stumbling out of the portal. Raven held her breath, waiting along with them to confirm her suspicions. Memory-Danny finally came into view, though radically different. His raven hair was now snowy white, and his hazmat suit was now inverted in color. His friends rushed over to him, trying to grab his arms for support. He fell through their grasps, however, when he involuntarily went intangible.

Everything came to an abrupt stop at that moment. Raven blinked, realizing the memory must have been over. She turned her attention back to Wisdom. "I think now would be a good time to answer some questions," he said.

"How did…? Why…? What…?" Raven stuttered. For another time these past few days, Raven was rendered speechless, a feat that was very rare. She paused to collect her thoughts, and then spoke again. "The best he could come up with was 'Danny Phantom?'" Wisdom smirked.

"That was definitely not my idea," he replied. "At least it was better than the 'Inviso-Bill' crap they tried to tag on us."

"So are you…is he dead?" she asked with care. Wisdom shook his head.

"No, at least I don't think so," he answered. "From what we could tell, his DNA was altered by the massive surge of ectoplasm that was caused by the formation of the portal. The other ghosts call us a halfa; half ghost, half human."

"Does it have anything to do with how he is now?" she asked.

"Yes and no. It's a long story," he started. "Basically something… happened afterwards. Something happened that was so traumatic that it almost tore his mind apart. I don't remember who started the trouble but Danny's negative emotions started to join forces to take over his mind. They eventually merged into Dan. And then the break down happened."

"You mean of the buildings?" Raven observed. Wisdom nodded.

"You see, Danny's mind is a mix of his ghost and human halves," Wisdom explained. "The Ghost Zone in the sky represents his ghost side and the city represents his human side. The problem is his ghost side is taking over, disrupting the balance between the two. It's because of his ghostly obsession."

"Ghostly obsession?" she inquired.

"Every ghost has one. An obsession with something that keeps them bound to their existence. Danny has one, just like every other ghost," he continued.

"He wants to protect his family," she deduced. Wisdom nodded again.

"For a ghost obsession is normal. But because he is human as well, it's literally driving him mad. He needs someone help keep his obsession in check."

Raven soaked all this information in. In a way most heroes went through this as well. She remembered the many times Robin obsessed over certain villains and trying to keep his team safe. She remembered how ever she had tried to distance the prophecy away from the team to try to protect them. Her empathy for grew even more. More questions sprung up in her mind, but the look on wisdom's face halted their surfacing.

"I know you have a lot more questions, but now isn't the time," he explained. "It's better that he explain it to you. The invader is trying to gain a foothold in Danny's mind and we have to stop her before she does even more damage to him."

"Her? Wait, you mean that ghost from before?" Raven asked.

"Yes her. Her method of persuasion is quite…unique," he said with a blush. Their surroundings were engulfed in light as they found themselves once again in the ghost zone. "She's in one of these doors. I'm sure you can find her with your powers."

"You're not coming?" she exclaimed.

"I have to keep Dan busy so you have enough time to help Danny," he said. He paused before continuing. "Just do me a favor. What Danny needs most right now is a friend. He hasn't had one of those in a while. He needs someone that will keep him…human. If you could just talk to him and listen…" Raven nodded her head, understanding completely. He smiled. "Thank you. I think you'd make a great friend for him. It was nice to finally meet you." He grabbed her hands, shaking them furiously, then flew off to buy her some time.

With her mission now clear, Raven began her search. She closed her eyes, stretching out her reach to each door around her.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Don't worry. Valera will make it all better."

Danny was at the moment stuck and wasn't sure if that was good or bad. He was currently in the clutches of the female ghost known as Valara. That is, if being in her clutches meant her hugging him and not letting go. He tried to remember how he had even gotten there, but he was drawing a blank. He tried to break through the haze that began to blur his vision. His head began buzzing as he actually started to enjoy her…assets pressing onto him. Shaking his head to clear it, he gently tried to disengage from her embrace. Succeeding, he scooted over a few feet away from her on the bed. She eyed him with a smile.

"Are you afraid of little old me?" she asked. In any other situation Danny would have been fine having women throwing themselves at him, but something wasn't right with this. Trying to distract her, he decided to change the subject.

"You said you wanted to talk. So talk," he said. "What do you want?" She frowned.

"Oh, so we're playing hard to get, are we?" she asked. "Alright, then. Let me explain, my dear. My father and I have developed an…interest in you. We were impressed by your strength in your last battle." Danny fidgeted.

"That was an accident," he said quietly. Valara grinned at his shyness.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, my dear boy," she reassured. "You have potential. We could use you on our side."

"For what?" he asked skeptically. "You tried to kill my family."

"Skulky tried to kill your family," she corrected. "He gets carried away sometimes. Something you wouldn't do, I'm sure. We could make you into something great. I could make you into something great."

"You don't have anything I want," Danny replied.

"What about power, hmm?" she posed. "You want power to protect the living, don't you? We can give that to you. That and more." She made her way back to his side. "I can give you more."

"Uhhh, no, really that's fine," Danny stuttered as he retreated once again. This time, however, Valara wasn't taking no for an answer. As he withdrew she was hot on his heels.

"I can make you very happy," she began. "I can fulfill your every fantasy. Or be the girl of your fantasy. Maybe that Paulina girl you were so smitten with." Danny watch as her features changed. Her skin became tanner and her red hair turned a silky black. Her yellow eyes turned aquamarine in color. Danny stared as she took the form of Paulina Sanchez; a very scantily clad Paulina Sanchez, who was wearing nothing but pink bra and panties. Danny gulped as the form of his former high school crush and president of the Danny Phantom Fan Club sauntered towards him.

"I'll do anything for you, ghost boy," she said in Paulina's Hispanic accent. "Or maybe you prefer…" she said as her features changed again. He watched as she became more curvaceous and her skin became much darker. With the transformation complete, Valara, now in the form of Valerie Grey, stalked even closer towards her prey. She was as equally undressed as her form before, her lingerie this time in red.

"Or maybe that Goth girl you used to like," she cooed as her form transformed once again until she looked like Sam Manson. Her black underwear fit Sam's Goth personality to a T as her amethyst eyes looked deep into his. Danny couldn't move as he guiltily gawked. He felt like he was going to have a heart attack as she smiled just like Sam. A certain area in his pants felt very tight and sweat poured down his face. He could feel the haze forming in his head again, this time stronger than ever.

"Or maybe you like her," Sam said. "Yes, I can hear it in your thoughts." Her skin became a pale grey and Sam's short black hair turned blue. Valera, in the shape of Raven, cupped his face in her hands. "Just say yes and I'll be yours."

"Am I interrupting something?" another voice questioned. Both Valara and Danny turned to see the real Raven, her arms crossed and with a curious look on her face. Danny looked back and forth between the two and turned another ten shades of crimson. The haze that was clouding his mind was completely gone. Valara cursed under her breath

"You!" Valara hissed, turning back into her original self. "How did you get in here?"

"I had a little help," Raven replied. "And why the heck did you look like…wait, don't answer that. I don't want to know."

"You're already too late, witch," Valara declared triumphantly. "You can't have him. Just leave and I won't have to hurt you." Raven ignored the ghost's raving and focused her attention on Danny.

"Danny, whatever crap she's been feeding you, it's a lie," she began. "None of this is real. This is nothing but a dream inside your mind. She's trying to control you. You don't have to listen to her" Danny was frozen in shock, taking all of this information in. Valara was trying very hard to hide how vexed she was.

"Don't listen to her," she tried to reassure. "She's lying. You can't trust a witch like her. You don't know who she really is." Raven frowned at that comment, her craving to shut up Valara growing by the minute.

"Danny, I know," the dark Titan said, emphasizing the last word. "I know how hard it is to do what you do. You can't just give up, Danny. Your family is worried sick. Jazz is worried sick." Danny looked back and forth between the two women, unsure of what to do. He closed his eyes and took ragged breaths as he contemplated his next move.

"Get out," he simply stated. He pointed to Valara, to her displeasure. "Get out. Now!" The room around them began to crumble and fade away. Valara began to scream as her body started to disappear along with the surroundings. In a flash, the room vanished.

Raven's eyes shot open as she let out a grown. She scanned her surroundings to find she was once again in her room. She heard rustling in her, indicating Danny was waking up as well. He regained consciousness and looked confused.

"Where am I?" he asked. He looked down at his current state and blushed. "And why am I in my underwear?

"We're in my room," Raven responded. Danny yelped in surprise. Raven grinned at his jumpiness. "You fainted on the roof, so I brought you inside. Your clothes were wet so I had to remove them." His face blanched at the thought. "Don't worry, I didn't see anything."

"I had the weirdest dream," he stated as he rubbed his eyes. "Something about you in…" His face began to blush again.

"I don't think it was a dream," she replied. He gaped.

"So you were really in my head? And so was that ghost?"

"Yup," she said matter of factly. "I think we need to talk."

"About?" he said nervously.

"About your secret identity, Danny Phantom."

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

On the roof of a building across the bay, Valara's eyes drifted open as she was thrown back into consciousness. She was disoriented for a moment before the events poured back into her mind.

"That bitch!" she hollered as her eyes crackled with energy. She had come in between her and Phantom. The witch was going to pay for interfering. She huffed as a cloud of smoke and fire engulfed her.

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**Author's Notes: Thanks for everyone who reviewed the last chapters: Twilight-Phantom66, Kradeiz, FantomoDrako, Mako-Magic, lynn138, Nonasuki-chan, phantom-willow217, fan-girls2.0, HiddenAuthor, fadedphantom, RikuLuvr, southernstarshadow, Ant Crown, Allahee4life, Pieling, egyptianqueen777, Shiva the Sarcastic, danna-chan, Kage Jaganshi, katiesparks, Plushiemon, Arabic Blessing, piloneo, Tetsukon, Buckyboy, AirGirl Phantom, Warrior of winds and Cylon One. **

**Thanks and I hope you like this chapter. See you next time. **

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron **


	16. Chapter 15: Confessions

**Author's Notes: Welcome back, my readers. Another chapter for all of you. Thanks fro the enormous response for the last couple of Chapters. Chapter 14 got the most reviews of any of my previous chapters. I thank all my faithful readers for thinking highly of my story. I'm glad I can entertain you.**

**Special thanks to HiddenAuthor, who did some beta-reading for me in this chapter. If you haven't done so already, make sure you have a look at his Danny Phantom stories. He is an awesome writer and my newest buddy at Plus, cross advertising is always good. :p**

**This chapter is mostly talk. As the title suggests, we get a little one on one chat between Danny and Rave. What shall be revealed? Shall a friendship be formed? Will she be able to kick Danny out of his emo-ness? Read on and find out**

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Chapter 15: Confessions

Time seemed to stop as Danny stared at Raven for what seemed like forever. A million thoughts ran through his head as he tried to find any excuse to get out of his current predicament. Raven crossed her arms and raised one eyebrow as she waited for Danny to react. She hid her amusement as she picked up a few of Danny's excuses as they formed in his mind. Danny sighed in defeat when he realized that there wasn't any way out.

"How?" he asked meekly. He looked down into the sheets of the bed.

"Wisd….uhhh, your mind sort of showed it to me," Raven replied, choosing her words carefully. She didn't want to get into explaining mindscapes and similar topics. "I saw when you had your accident."

"Oh," he sighed. "So are you going to ream me for being such a jerk to you?"

"No," she replied simply.

"No?" he asked in confusion.

"Unless you want me to," she answered. "Cause I'd be more than happy to chew you out." Danny flinched. "But, that wouldn't help. There's probably a good reason why you act the way you do, isn't there?"

"Maybe," Danny sullenly replied.

"I just thought that maybe you'd want to talk about it," she explained. "I know for a fact the superhero thing isn't quite that easy. Sometimes talking helps."

"I'm no hero," Danny uttered dejectedly. "If I was, I wouldn't have let Jazz get hurt. If I was a real hero, I wouldn't have lost control like that." Raven frowned.

"The fact that you want to protect your family tells me otherwise," she disagreed. "You're just going about it the wrong way."

"It was so easy when I didn't have to think about it," he sighed. "When you just went out and just did it because it was the right thing to do. When you didn't have to worry about the consequences."

"What happened exactly?" Raven inquired. "Did it have to do with Dan?" Upon hearing the name Danny's body stiffened up. His face wore a look of someone haunted, but just as quickly changed into suspicion. He eyed her carefully.

"Where did you hear that name," he exclaimed, anger seizing his voice. Raven was taken aback by the vehemence of his response. It looked like she had hit a nerve.

"From you," she replied. "I saw him when you brushed past me in the gym. The vision was so strong that it almost knocked me out cold." Danny relaxed slightly, but was staring at her. "I know you are afraid of him. I could tell that even without my powers. Hell, I'm afraid of him and I only saw him a few times. What I want to know is why? What did he do to you? Who is he?"

"I-I don't want to talk about him," he said with a shaky voice.

"Not good enough," she replied sternly. Her patience was running thin. "I'm not going to sugar coat it. What you are doing, it's not benefiting anyone, especially you. Jazz, you mom, even you dad; they're all worried sick about you. I want to help, but I can't help if you won't help yourself." Danny sighed.

"You don't understand," he responded. "You have no clue what it feels like to have a fate you don't want looming over you." Raven froze, finding his response hit way to close to home. "You don't know what its like to see your future and not know whether you can even stop it from happening."

Raven didn't say anything for a few moments. "Is that what Dan is to you?" she was finally able to ask.

"He is me," he stated. "He's what I could be. What I'll probably be by the looks of things. All because I can't protect them."

Raven was getting a migraine from the confusion. She didn't know whether or not Dan was a real entity or just figment of his imagination. How he described him was so close to her own past that it gave her the chills. Danny looked up at her and he could see it; her uncertainty. She didn't understand. She didn't know anything about what he went through. He wondered if anyone would understand. "Then explain it!" He could hear a voice call out. It was much louder than when it called him to open up to Raven earlier that night. "Make her understand," it continued, its volume increasing with every word. He sighed once again.

"It started last year," he began. "A couple of months before school let out. I had been catching ghosts for about eight months. Sam and Tucker had been with me along the way helping me out in tough spots." Raven noticed he sounded almost wistful as he talked about his friends. "Jazz knew, but I didn't realize it till later. My parents had no clue about me. They thought of Phantom as a menace and I always had to keep one step ahead of them to keep them from capturing me. It was hard to juggle school and ghost hunting, but I made it by. It was all fine, or so I thought.

"All of the sudden I started getting attacked by these really powerful ghosts. The weird thing was that they were from the future. They were sent by a ghost named Clockwork. He had been ordered by some other ghosts to destroy me. I couldn't understand why they wanted me dead until I saw it for myself, when he decided to show me the future. The destruction was complete and total. There wasn't a building left standing among the rubble and ash. I hardly saw even a person there. They were either in hiding or worse. And it was all done by Him and only Him. He did it all by himself. He was the most powerful ghost on both Earth and the Ghost Zone. No one could stop him. It was like it was a game to him, the way he demolished everything."

"How did it happen?" Raven asked quietly. "Do you know how you became…like that?"

"It was because," he paused. Raven watched as his hands curled up into fists and his knuckles turned white. "It was because they all died. Mom, Dad, Jazz, Tucker, Sam. They all died in some freak accident. They all died and I- he couldn't protect them. I found out it was going to happen in only a few days. That they would die and he…he couldn't take it. He was in so much pain that he decided that he couldn't be Phantom anymore. So he had his arch nemesis remove his ghost side.

"I've been separated before. Whenever it happened, aspects of my personality get split up between my ghost and human sides. And because of the way I was at the time, all of my negative emotions were a part of his Phantom side. He knew it; that's why he had it done. But it was the worst mistake he ever made. Because when they did it, they pulled Him out. "

"All that negative emotion," Raven whispered. Having s creature with all that negativity and nothing to balance it. And with that much power…

"It wasn't enough that I knew, though. Because when I was in the future, He found out about me. He couldn't risk that he wouldn't exist. So he trapped me in the future and went back to make sure the accident still happened. I almost didn't make it time. No, that's not it. I didn't make it in time. I fought him and I managed to somehow lock him away. But by that time I was too tired. I couldn't transform anymore from the exhaustion." Danny's hands were now shaking with emotion. "I saw them die. I could feel the heat from the explosion as it detonated. If it wasn't for Clockwork they would have died."

"Afterwards Clockwork backed up time so that they wouldn't remember anything and he took Dan back to his lair. He still is there, even to this day. I vowed to not let anything like that happen and I tried to forget the whole thing. But I couldn't forget. The nightmares wouldn't let me. I kept seeing the explosion in my mind over and over. The looks on their faces when they realized they were going to die. I could hear them calling out to me. I couldn't sleep for days, but I managed to after a while. I didn't tell any of them, not even Jazz I was afraid she'd start to psycho-analyze me or something. I didn't want their pity. I had enough to spare." The sense of déjà vu hit Raven like a ton of bricks. Just like the prophesy that defined Raven for so many years, Danny too, had his own prophecy of sorts. She also began to get that same unsettling feeling she had earlier that night. It was as if something terrible was going to happen soon.

"After that, everything was fine again. I found out that Jazz knew and she got to be pretty good at covering for me whenever I disappeared. After school let out she begged me to show her around the ghost zone. I didn't see any harm in it; Sam and Tucker and I had been there dozens of times before. We knew where not to go and what to do if we got into trouble. We were there for a few hours. I didn't have a clue that day was going to change my life forever.

"When we got back, we didn't know that anything had happened. It wasn't until we got upstairs that…," he choked. "It was like hell on earth. Fires everywhere. The buildings were in shambles. The lake was filled with lava. And everyone was…s-stone." Raven froze, her eyes getting wider with every word.

"No," she whispered under her breath. It was THAT day…

"I thought… I thought it was him. I thought that he had comeback and decided to pay me back for capturing him. I had never felt so helpless. I thought I failed them. That I wasn't strong enough to protect them." Tears flowed freely from his eyes now, as he looked down into his lap. "Even after I found out what really happened; that it was Trigon who did it, that feeling of helplessness didn't go away. I couldn't handle it. I couldn't handle the fact there wasn't anything I could do to protect my family, my city.

"Jazz said that I was unconscious for two days after that. I don't even remember fainting. I knew that things needed to change. So I started to train. I did everything I could so I could become stronger and faster. I started to patrol more. The more I trained the more I realized that everyone was in danger because of me. I realized that the only way I could protect my friends was to keep them away from me. I had to push them away or else they would be in harms way."

"I'm sorry," Raven suddenly blurted out. She clasped a hand to her mouth. She hadn't planned on speaking but her mouth seemed to move on its own accord. It was her fault. All the guilt that she thought she had dealt with and buried all those months ago had piled on her shoulders once again. The reason he was like this was because of her.

"What?" he asked after he was interrupted. Raven was now fighting back tears as they began to sting her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice croaking from the emotion. "It was my fault. If had only…"

"It wasn't your fault," he assured. She shook her head.

"You don't understand. I...I," she stuttered. The sorceress couldn't bring herself to look into his questioning eyes. "Trigon. He came because of me."

"What?" he asked in disbelief. His brain was trying hard to comprehend what she had just said. Raven struggled to keep her emotions in check. She had to tell him. He had a right to know what she did to him.

"When I was born, there was a prophecy about me that was discovered," she began solemnly. "The prophecy said that on my fifteenth birthday that I was going cause the end of the world. They called me the Gem of Skath. I was supposed to be a portal bring that would bring the end of all things mortal. To bring my father. To bring Trigon." She paused to gauge Danny's reaction. He hadn't moved an inch since she began. His eyes were as wide as dinner saucers.

"I was raised by monks in another dimension known as Azarath. They kept me hidden from everyone. They trained me to control my emotions so that I could control my powers. I didn't know about the prophecy then but what I did know was they were all afraid of me. No one would look me in the eye, not even my own mother."

"Your mother?" he finally spoke. Raven knew exactly what he wanted to ask.

"She was human. From Earth, actually. His followers were able to bring him here as a human for a short time and he…raped her. He used her so that I could be born. When the monks found out they brought her in until I was born.

"I found out about the prophecy when I was thirteen. I didn't even know how to react them. I was scared of myself for what I really was. I was angry at Trigon for putting that burden on me. So I did the only thing I could do: I ran away. I ran from Azarath to Earth. I just kept on running, hopping to just escape from what my father had planned.

"I would have kept on running still if it wasn't for the other Titans. I had helped them fight off an alien attack of the city and then suddenly I belonged to something. I thought that maybe if I could just do enough good that it'd be enough to counteract what would happen. I also tried my hardest not to get attached to them. I knew if I got to close and formed any emotional bonds that it would be difficult once they knew what I was.

"It didn't work like that, however. I don't know when it happened but somehow we became more than a team. All the villains we stopped, all the people we saved. In there somewhere we became closer than a team; closer than even friends. We became family. Something that was completely foreign to me. I never had a real family in Azarath. They were all too afraid to get close to me. But the Titans accepted me despite my dark appearance. They accepted me even when they found out about my father and about the prophecy. And that became a problem for me.

"As that day grew closer, I felt more and more trapped. My father kept reminding me that what was going to happen was inevitable. I knew exact how the Titans would react; they would fight it out to the very end. They would sacrifice themselves to protect me. For a while, I dared to believe that we could win. But as time went on, I lost faith. We were no match for him. He was as powerful as a god and we were mere insects to him. I could stand there and watch them risk themselves for me. So I gave in. I gave up and accepted my fate." Raven shook her head a moment after saying that. "No, it wasn't giving up. I was running away again. I tried to detach myself from them. I didn't want them fighting for me; I wasn't worth it. I guess a part of me still had hope, because I was able to protect them from being turned to stone like the rest of the world.

"And then they did something that still put me in awe. They still fought. Even after knowing it probably wouldn't matter. Even after knowing they would probably die, they still fought on. For the world. For me. It shouldn't have surprised me one bit. That's what brought us all together. Seeing what they were doing brought me hope again. It showed me I should just give up and I shouldn't just run away. That I should stand up and fight. I defeated Trigon that day not because of what I can do, but because of their faith in me. They lent me their strength, even when they didn't even know it.

"That's why you have to stop what you are doing," she stated, looking into his eyes. "That's why you have to stop pushing them away. That's why you have to stop running away!" Danny looked away from her gaze, guilt washing over him.

"I'm not running away," he whispered unconvincingly.

"Yes you are. I know because I did, too. You think you're protecting them by pushing them away. It's not even about them, though. You're actually trying to push away the guilt. You're afraid of the guilt you'd feel when you lose, so you push them away to lessen it. You're not doing them any favors. All you're doing is hurting them and hurling yourself."

"NO!" he screamed, holding his head. It felt like a battle was being waged inside his mind. His face was full of distress and pain. "It's not true! I'm not running away." Wasn't he? Images of the past year flashed before his eyes. It was his only option, wasn't it? Hadn't he pushed them away to protect them? Because he wasn't strong enough to protect them? Or was it because he wasn't strong enough to take the guilt.

"You can train all you want, but you won't gain any real strength from that," she continued. "Your family and your friends; that's what true strength is. They are the ones who give you true strength to climb over any obstacle. I thought I could do it alone as well, but that all changed when I met the Titans. They became my family and they are who make me truly strong."

"Oh, my God!" he whispered in between sobs. "What have I done?" His shoulders shook as the truth hit him. He was afraid. He tried to hide it through his training and through being alone, but the fear never truly left. He was afraid of what he would become. He was afraid of what he couldn't do. He was afraid of loosing them and went so far as to throw them away to soften the pain. But the pain remained anyway. The pain that would torture him at night. The pain that threatened to drive him mad at times. In fact, the pain grew worse when he threw it all away.

Tears began to flow freely now as he body shuddered. Raven's empathy for the boy grew even further now. She was glad she was able to reach him in time. She suddenly felt a drop of moisture fall into her lap. Reaching up to her own face, she realized that she too was shedding tears. She had resurfaced many old wounds when she left herself vulnerable. She told him things that she didn't feel comfortable telling even Starfire. But for some reason, it felt right. She knew that he understood her like she understood him.

She used her arm to reach out and give him a comforting embrace. He accepted and went a step further as his armed latched around her, as if she were a deeply rooted tree during a hurricane. He sobbed and bellowed into her shoulder, as all the emotion that had accumulated in his heart found their way out. She was surprised at first, but then brought him closer as he continued to sob.

His cries subsided after what seemed like forever, his sobs now just mere sniffling. He looked up from her shoulder, instantly becoming conscious of how suggestive his current position was. He jumped back, his face now a dark shade of crimson. She coughed and looked away, her face equally red.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I got carried away, there."

"No problem," she assured. She could hear him sigh.

"What do I do now?" he asked. "I mean, what if they don't want me anymore? What if I ruined the best friendship I ever had? What if they hate me?"

"It may sound a bit cliché, but if they are your real friends, they'll understand," Raven replied. "It may not be immediate, but I think things will be alright for you."

"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "For being a jerk to all of you. I guess I was jealous."

"Understatement of the century," Raven quipped. Danny chuckled quietly.

"I just never thought there'd be someone like me," he explained. "I mean, we both have this weird destiny thing going."

"It's like what Robin told me after we defeated Trigon. That we choose our own destiny." Raven smiled at the memory. "I think that applies to everyone, especially you. You make your own destiny. The future isn't set in stone."

"Thank you. For everything," he expressed. "I think you saved my life. I don't know what I was going to do up there."

"It's what we do," Raven grinned. "You may want to thank me while dressed, however." Danny blushed as he once again took into account that he was still in only his underwear. He turned invisible instantly. She watched as his clothes began seemingly to float on their own accord. The clothes suddenly turned translucent blue as moisture seemed to just fall off of them. The clothes, just as their owner had moments before, disappeared as Raven deduced he was probably putting them back on. Danny was now once again visible, this time fully clothed.

"I gotta get back," Danny said as he prepared to leave. "Jazz is probably worried sick about me. I have a lot to make up to her." Transforming into Phantom, he phased through the wall and out of sight.

Raven yawned as exhaustion began to set in. She changed the sheets of her bed and then touched down as she fell into a blissful slumber. Her last waking memory, much to her chagrin, was the well toned chest and abs of one Danny Fenton.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Danny made it safely back to the room he shared with his sister. His heart almost broke as he took note of the scene before him: Jazz had fallen asleep bent over her bad. It looked like she had been crying. A lot. He sighed as he identified himself as the object of her pain. He gently picked her up as to not wake her and set her down on her bed. Finding some covers, he placed them protectively onto his slumbering sister. He lightly kissed her in the forehead. Feeling sleep overtake him, his head fell into her lap. She murmured something in her sleep and a smile formed onto her face.

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**Author's Notes: Awww. That chapter really took a lot out of me, hence why it took a bit longer to write. Hopefully, I got the emotion down juuust right. I hope you enjoy.**

**Speaking of enjoy, here are all thirty-two folks who enjoyed my last chapter: Twilight-Phantom66, The Halfa Wannabe, dragonflysky, AirGirl Phantom, fadedphantom, southernstarshadow, jadephantom101, December's Morose, ShadowLove13, dtechno, Chiro Phantom, FantomoDrako, egyptianqueen777, Kovva, piloneo, RikuLuvr, Pieling, .katiesparks, Warrior of winds, .Buckyboy, phantom-willow217, Plushiemon, Mako-Magic, Dream's Abyss, Ant Crown, Kradeiz, lynn138, danna-chan, Tetsukon, SpartanCommander, HiddenAuthor, fan-girls2.0, and Shiva the Sarcastic. Thanks for your reviews. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as well. **


	17. Chapter 16: The Morning After

**Author's Notes: Hello, my faithful readers. Another chapter is now upon you. For those who are wondering, the reason for the slight wait was an essay I had to do for composition class. Luckily for me I passed with flying colors (90) so now I bring you a new chapter with lots of emotional goodies. If you think I used up all the emo-ness and angst in the last chapter, you are dead wrong. Lots of emotion on your way in this one. I'm especially proud of the first scene, which should move some and disturb others. Ahh, an author's work is never done. :D**

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Chapter 16: Morning After

She had failed.

Valara flew through the Ghost Zone with a dejected look on her face. She had failed in her mission to persuade Phantom and bring him back to her father. She knew there were dire circumstances to failure when her father was concerned. She had been witness to her father's wrath many times before. His tolerance for failure was non-existent. Defeat meant you were no longer of any use to him.

She could run. She could disappear into the void of the Ghost Zone and never return to him. But she knew it would be in vain. He would find her, no matter where she went. There wasn't anywhere she could run to where he couldn't follow. He'd know where she went. He knew how she thought. He was a part of her, both figuratively and literally.

Every ghost her father had 'recruited' had essentially a part of him inside of them. He had injected them all with a sample of his ecto-plasm. A very painful process indeed, but one with amazing results. Not only were they subservient to him, they all had inherited his viscous demeanor. They all thought like him: like a devious, bloodthirsty psychopath. Along with his personality, they also gained strength and power far beyond their former selves. So if any of them failed, it only meant he had failed. And he never failed.

The castle came into view as she sighed. She squashed the fear that bubbled up inside of her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her crumble. She was stronger than that. She was his daughter after all. She made her way to his chamber, which was eerily quiet, despite the fires that roared around her. Her usual confident swagger was now gone. She knelt down in front of the wall of fire that always shielded him. She didn't dare to look up, the shame overwhelming her.

"Daddy…Father. I have returned," she forced herself to say. She could feel his gaze burning through her.

"My dear, back so soon?" he inquired. He was playing with her now. He knew very well why she was back.

"I've failed in my mission, Father," she replied. "I was unable to bring back Phantom. The gem…"

"Interfered. Yes, I know," he interrupted. "It seems I've severely underestimated both of them. This could pose a problem to my master plan."

"I've…I've failed you, Father," she confessed, though he already knew. "It was inexcusable. I should have been able to sway him to our side…" She could feel the heat subside slightly. She knew what that meant: the barrier of fire had been extinguished. She could here his footsteps advancing towards her. She continued to stare at the ground, unable to move.

"Those two are an interesting pair," he began, acting as if he didn't hear her. "A boy who walks on both sides of life and death. And the daughter of Trigon, the bringer of death. Both have the power to do so much; and yet they waste it. Waste it to protect the weak. The helpless. The living." The last word he spat in disgust, as if it were poison. "They squander their power to extend the lives of those who will succumb to death anyway. Life is such a useless existence. The truth of the matter is that we live in order to die.

"Death is the true test," he continued. "Only the strong of will become like us. Become ghosts. It is by strength of will alone that we even exist. And with this existence comes power. Power beyond any normal mortal. The same power that was given to me when I left that mortal plain. The same power I gave to you when I gave you the gift of death." Valara flinched at the mention of her demise. "You mustn't forget that, my dear." She felt his hand pat her head.

"Yes, father," she replied. She heard something hit the ground next to her. She glanced over to find a whip of pure fire dangling. She knew what was coming. She closed her eyes and braced herself.

The first hit was swift, flooding her senses with a great deal of pain. She stifled her wails of pain. She didn't want him to see her cry out. The next one came shortly after, the searing sting licking her back. She lost count soon after as one after another she was struck again and again. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she tried desperately to take it silently, to show her father she wasn't weak. Time seemed to blur for her as she couldn't tell how long it lasted. Finally, with the last strike it was over. She was breathing heavily, trying not to focus on the painful welts that littered her back. Her vision was swirling. She heard him advance towards her once again. As he reached her, he kneeled and gently cupped her face.

"I'm only doing this for you," he said quietly. "You must become stronger, my dear. That is the only constant in this existence. And you can only become stronger through pain. Do you understand?"

"Yes…Yes Father," she replied in between her pants. He smiled as his hand moved away.

"I'll give you time to get ready," he stated. "I think it may well be time to take matters into my own hands. I'd like to meet the boy that has you so smitten." And with that he disappeared in a column of fire.

With him now gone, Valara finally collapsed onto the ground. Her tears began to flow faster and faster as the sobs wracked her body. She wouldn't fail him again. She wouldn't fail either of them again. Phantom would be hers. And she will show her father that she wasn't weak.

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Robin was exhausted.

He had spent the last couple of hours patrolling the city and the area around the tower. Late night patrols weren't alien to him. His time in Gotham had taught his body to be able to make it with little or no sleep. Unfortunately he was now paying the consequences as exhaustion crept upon him. It was a small price to pay, however, in order to protect his team. To protect her. He smiled as her image once again entered into his mind. Her fiery red hair. Her emerald eyes which shone her innocence and naiveté one moment, and her warrior spirit the next. That smile that sent shivers down his spine whenever it was directed at him. She was his ray of hope. She was what made it all worth it to him.

Seeing as it was close to dawn he finally threw in the towel and headed back to the tower. He could see that the perimeter lights were back up and running. True to his word, Cyborg was able to bring power back to their home. He'd have to thank his friend later for his hard work. He knew that Cyborg probably got as little sleep as he did.

Robin stifled another yawn as he made his way to the elevators. Nothing would bring him more joy than to fall into the sweet embrace of his awaiting bed. But he had one more thing to do before he could seek rest. He pushed the button that would take him to the top floor of the tower. He hoped that she had remembered their normal morning ritual. Though not done everyday, Robin and Starfire would often view the sunrise together. Though Raven sometimes joined them, he enjoyed it more whenever it was just him and Starfire. The dawning of a new day always brought them hope, especially when hope was hard to find. Hope that the new day would be better than the last. Hope that they would survive like they did the day before. He smiled in anticipation as the elevator made it to the top floor. He made his way up the stairs leading to the roof, hoping to find his love waiting for him.

Instead, he found that the tower's roof was in a busied state. He watched as Cyborg and the Fentons were in the process of working on a project. Cyborg and Jack were carrying various pieces of heavy equipment to different areas of the tower, while Maddie Fenton was inspecting some blueprints, instructing the two on where to deposit their cargo. Robin looked on in bewilderment, as Cyborg never mentioned any project to him. The mechanical titan, spotting his leader, headed towards him, a grin on his face and a gleam in his eye. Robin knew that look. It was the same look he had when he first built the T-Car.

"You look like crap," Cyborg stated playfully at the ragged boy wonder.

"You're no prize yourself," Robin shot back. Indeed, Cyborg was covered in soot and motor oil in various places. Many of his parts still needed maintenance from their last battle. "I see you got the power working again."

"Was pretty easy, actually," Cyborg stated triumphantly. "Afterwards I couldn't stop thinking of ways to make the tower ghost proof. I talked to Mr. and Mrs. F and they mentioned something about a ghost shield. Figured we should start early on it."

"Ghost shield?" Robin asked curiously.

"Yup!" a very peppy Jack Fenton chimed in. Robin gasped at the sudden appearance of the man. Despite his girth, Jack Fenton had a knack of sneaking up on you without anyone even noticing. "The ghost shield will be able to stop any ghost in its tracks! We had some spare parts in the RV."

"What about any power issues?" Robin asked. He wasn't an expert, but he figured that something that would cover the entire tower would consume a lot of energy.

"Not a problem, Rob," Cyborg reassured. "I was planning on using one of the backup power generators to supplement the power. I was going to dust them off and connect them to the power grid after we finish setting up the emitter array up here."

"Good. Keep me informed," Robin nodded with approval. With his plans now dashed, the boy wonder turned to head back downstairs to his room. His journey was abruptly halted as he collided with someone moving at high speed. They both landed on the ground with a thud. Robin opened his eyes, only to find them staring into the worried gaze of his girlfriend, Starfire.

"Robin!" she cried in relief. "Was your patrolling uneventful?"

"Everything went fine, Star," he said comfortingly, as he was lost in a sea of green. She smiled.

"That is good. I thought I would miss you for the sunrise," she explained.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he replied as he cupped her face. She blushed and giggled, moving in closer to continue the kiss they couldn't quite finish the night before. Their faces were mere inches from each other when something grabbed her and pulled her away. She yelped in surprise as Cyborg separated the couple.

"Not that I'd like nothing more than to puke while you two smooch and ogle at each other," Cyborg began. "But bird boy here needs some beauty sleep before he passes out. And I need you to help me move the spare generators downstairs, Star." Starfire gave a disappointed pout as she complied with Cyborg's wishes. Robin grumbled at yet another distraction, but Cyborg's words rang of truth. He needed to rest so he could do what he did best: lead the team. He yawned yet again as he made his way back downstairs.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Jazz's eyes fluttered open as two things caught her interest. One was that she was in her bed, which she didn't remember getting into. The second was that there was something currently sleeping on her lap. Jazz sighed as she slowly moved her gaze towards the lump. Starfire's pet worm, Silkie, had taken a liking to her and always seemed to appear when she least expected it. She was pondering in her mind how to move the mass when her saw that it wasn't Silkie, but her brother's head who was snoring soundly on her lap.

She blinked twice, not sure what to make of the scene in front of her. She deduced it must have been he who had moved her into bed. It had been over a year since Danny had shown even an inkling of brotherly concern towards her, so she wasn't sure how to react. She smiled as she looked over his face. He almost looked peaceful. She had sneaked into his room a few times after his patrols over the past year. His face always looked distraught then. As if he was lost and couldn't find his way. She could only imagine what he dreamed about at night. The contrast to how he looked now was striking.

She placed a hand over his head as she smiled. The look he had on his face mere hours before had her worried. He seemed to be truly terrified of something. Of what she could only guess. She wondered if something had changed in him recently. The recent events that took place the last few days could try anyone's psyche. With someone as fragile as her brother, it could drive him mad. Would he open up to her?

Her pondering was interrupted as a moan came from his sleeping form. His eyes fluttered open as rubbed the sand out of them he looked up at her face, realizing she was staring back. She then saw something that she was worried she'd never see again: he smiled. It was different than any smile he'd given before. It was subdued and not so obvious. But despite the difference it was genuine. He got up and stretched out the kinks in his body.

"Morning," he said under his breath. Shock and curiosity overcame her once again. He definitely was different. He would have never uttered a word to her in the morning. His usual response to her inquiries would be a simple grunt. He stopped when he realized she was staring at him yet again. "What, did I grow an extra head or something?"

"Who are you?" she suddenly exclaimed. "And what have you done with my brother?" She said it half-jokingly, yet in her family's line of business, she couldn't rule out the possibility that her brother wasn't who he said he was.

"Jeez, Jazz," he chuckled. "It's me, Danny. And no, my brain was stolen by ghosts or aliens or whatever."

"You know exactly what I mean," she began to shout. Danny was taken aback by her sudden vehemence. "You spend the last year ignoring and making me and everyone else worry about you and your sanity and you just expect me to think its ok that you suddenly realize I exist?" Danny's smile faded as his shoulders tensed up. He knew this was going to happen. He hoped that he could just pretend everything was fine. The truth was his actions had hurt a lot of people. He sighed as he turned towards her.

"About that," he replied solemnly. "I want … I want to apologize to you. I shouldn't have done that to you. It's just that…' he faltered as he tried to find the right words. "I was a big idiot, alright? I thought I was trying to protect you. I thought that if you weren't near me that you'd be out of harms way. But it was pretty stupid of me. I was hurting all of you guys, something I was trying to prevent. I know now what I did was wrong. I'm sorry I made you worry about me." He was now looking down at his feet, unable to look back at his sister. Did she hate him? Would she forgive him? His questions were answered when he felt two arms wrap around him. His sister began sobbing into his shoulder.

"You idiot!" she cried. "We were so worried about you. I thought it was my fault! I thought that I didn't do enough to help you. I thought…" her words devolved into crying. Danny returned her embrace as his own tears flowed freely.

"You did more than enough," he replied. "You never gave up on me, even when I almost gave up on myself. I was just too stupid to realize it. You always had the right thing to say whenever I went into a fight. I could always count on you and Sam and Tucker to have my back whenever it came down to it. You guys are the reason I do this in the first place. Without you…I don't know what I'd do."

"I'm not going anywhere, little bro," she answered with a grin. "What changed?"

"Hmm?' he asked.

"I mean with you. What changed your mind?"

"Let's just say some things were put in perspective for me last night," Danny explained. Jazz's eyebrows furrowed.

"You're not telling me?" she stated in shock. "After all the bonding?"

"Hero has to keep his secrets," he grinned. "And besides, you'd want to psychoanalyze me or something. Or am I wrong?" Jazz was about to launch a rebuttal but paused. "Thought so."

"Can't blame me for being curious. This could help me on my research on hero psychology!" she asserted.

"Jazz," he sighed. Some things never changed. "I'm going to take a shower before you hog the bathroom."

'Hey!" she called out as he made it through the door, locking it behind him. Undressing, he turned on the shower and stepped into the stream of steaming hot water. He felt as if it was cleaning off all the guilt and all the pain of the past year. He had made the first step. He was able to reconcile with his sister. That was the easy part, however. She was family. He knew the hard part was coming soon. Sam and Tucker. He wondered how they would react to his apology. The last time they spoke face to face, both sides said some things that shouldn't have been said. Was their friendship too far gone? Would they ever forgive him? He remembered Raven's response to his inquiry but he still wasn't sure. They had every right to be mad at him after what he did.

Trying to ease his mind, he thought about Jazz's questioning on what happened. Or rather whom happened. He smiled at the thought of the sorceress. He had done so much for him. He never thought that he'd meet someone so much like him, with so much of the same worries. He remembered how he had foolishly thought that none of the titans would have understood what he was going through. They were celebrities, after all. He had fallen into the publics hype about them being perfect, which was far from the truth. They were all human, after all. Well, mostly human. He bet that all of them felt he felt at one time or another during their careers. He was stupid to think they were untouchable.

He exited the shower, feeling refreshed. He had two years to make up for. He hoped he was up for the task.

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Raven moaned as she woke up, stretching her arms lazily. Last night had taken a lot out of her. Entering into Danny's mind was exhausting enough, but that confessional they had took a lot out of her emotionally. The memories of the night before flooded her senses suddenly. She was glad she was able to help him see the mistake he was making.

Last night was the first time in a long time she had spoken about the incident that happened last year. She had thought she had put that whole thing behind her, but even now it haunted her. She normally wasn't that open about her past, especially to a total stranger. But last night that didn't seem to matter. She felt like she had to tell him. It was partly her fault that he turned out that way.

In a way, their talk was just as therapeutic for her as it seemed it was for him. She had released a lot of baggage that she thought that she had left behind last year. It was as if a great weight was lifted from her shoulders. She still felt responsible for him, but not as much as before. It hadn't felt strange at all for her to tell her life story to him. It was as if there was a connection between them. All she could think about was how so alike they were. His supposed future had just as strong an impact on him as her prophecy. She, too, felt trapped for a time. If it wasn't for her friends, she wouldn't even be alive today.

She couldn't help but think there was something noble about Danny. The fact that he felt so strongly about protecting his family was actually quite admirable. She felt she had only scratched the surface when it came to him. Now that she knew his secret, she thought that her curiosity would have been satisfied. Quite the contrary, however. She felt even more curious than ever. She wanted to know more about him. She wanted to talk to him again, to see what else they had in common. And more importantly, she wanted to rip off his shirt and see that chest again.

"Wait, where did that come from?" she said out loud as she could hear a giggle from inside her head. She sighed. Her emotions were playing tricks on her again. A blush quickly spread across her face as a sculpture on her bookshelf was suddenly encased in black energy and exploded, showering her room in clay. She shook her head to drive out that memory from last night. Sure, she didn't complain when she saw him shirtless (and pant less to boot). But that didn't mean anything. She definitely didn't think of him THAT way. If anything, they were just friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Sure, ruin our fun," she heard one of her emotions say. She heard another one giggle and a third one sigh. She mirrored the sigh she then slipped into her daily meditation ritual to calm her emotions down a bit. This definitely not what she needed today.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Jazz got out of the shower feeling more awake then she had in a while. Changing into her usual attire, she exited the bathroom. There she found her brother staring at his cell phone, which was in the middle of his bed. He looked at it with fear, as if it were to suddenly attack and bite him. Every few moments or so his hand would hover over it warily and then return to his side, as if scared away. He sighed as he continued staring.

"Still haven't called them yet?" she asked. He jumped up in surprise, unaware that she was done in the bathroom. He looked back towards the phone and sighed again.

"I want to call," he explained. "But I'm scared. I don't know what to say to them. I don't know if they'll even answer the phone if I try to call them."

"I can solve your problems," she replied as she placed her own cell phone in his hand. He stared down at it, his eyes suddenly widening when he realized that Tucker's number was already dialed and connecting. "Better answer that," she said with a smirk as she left the room. Danny was about to protest when he heard a click signifying that Tucker had answered the phone. Danny quickly put the phone to his ear, the choice now out of his hands.

"Hello?"

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**Author's Notes: Wow. I got a huge response last chapter. Thirty-five reviews is a whole friggin lot. I know I've been lax with the responses. I'll get back to each and every one of you this week, so don't you worry. I care about my fans.   
**

**Now, for all who reviewed my last chapter: RavenWriter89, southernstarshadow, Sqweakie the Wonder Mouse, Twilight-Phantom66, Bookworm12345, FantomoDrako, fadedphantom, danna-chan, fan-girls2.0, Nonasuki-chan, Pieling, Ant Crown, ShadowLove13, Irony sans Humor, RikuLuvr, lynn138, Plushiemon, The Halfa Wannabe, egyptianqueen777, phantom-willow217, Allahee4life, Shiva the Sarcastic, katiesparks, Tetsukon, HiddenAuthor, AirGirl Phantom, dragonflysky, Poet Bucky, Warrior of winds, piloneo, Cylon One, Kage Jaganshi, calamite, Kradeiz, and Mako-Magic. Thank you once again for your kind words. Thanks for all the new readers. I'll see you next time, which should be in a week. **

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	18. Chapter 17: Reconciliation

**Author's Notes: Ladies and gents, I am back! The Funk thanks all my loyal and patient readers. I know it took a bit to get this out to you. I thank you all for waiting and I thank you for your awesome reviews. You're kind words mean a whole lot.**

**Speaking of reviews, I'm sorry I haven't replied to them yet. Rest assured, I'll get to it ASAP. School is in full force for me, so I got limited time to work with. I will get back to all my fans.**

**And guys are lucky, because there maybe another update in a few days. Stay tuned. And now, on with the show!**

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Chapter 17: Reconciliation

Sam Manson was miserable.

Ever since her confrontation with one Danny Fenton a few days ago, she had barricaded herself in her room. The day of the incident, she went straight home, leaving specific instructions to the various servants of her family that she not be disturbed. Not by anyone, not even her parents. She gave the order with such ferocity, that the servants complied without hesitation. Even her parents decided to stay clear of her room, fearing her wrath. They decided to let her cool down a few days before venturing off to see what had set her off.

The truth of the matter was Sam was sad. She spent the last few days crying in her room, drowning her sorrows with gothic tunes of bitterness and despair. The images of that day were still fresh in her mind, repeating over and over again, threatening to drive her insane with grief. She couldn't help but feel betrayed by the incident. Danny had simply dismissed them, throwing them away as if they were used goods. Apparently, they were no longer worthy to be in the presence of Phantom.

Even with that betrayal, Sam felt something that surprised her: Guilt.

She and Tucker knew that something was bothering Danny. Even before that day their town was turned to stone, Danny had not been his usual self. They always knew that the stress of being the town's hero was hard on him. They tried their best to always be there for him and back their friend up whenever things got dicey. Sam always admired how brave Danny was to face the insurmountable odds to protect their town from the hoards of ghosts that threatened it. It made her feel special to think she was part of something by helping him through the tough parts.

She couldn't help but feel there was something more she could have done for him. In a way, she felt it was her fault for not paying attention to him enough. If they had only been helping him more, he wouldn't have been fed up with them. Or they could have helped him with whatever problems he seemed to have. Her mind went in an endless loop for hours, cycling from guilt for not doing enough to grief of the demise of their friendship to anger at Danny himself for being such a prick. She hardly ate, only nibbling on salads her grandmother would bring over (she was the only one in the house not scared away by Sam's threats).

She woke up that morning with the same mixed up feelings as the night before. She stared at her ceiling for a few moments, trying to forget the pain that swam just underneath the surface of her mind. Finally sick of her view, she got up and headed for her personal restroom. She stole a glance in the mirror and winced at the sight that stared back. There were streams of mascara still left over on her cheeks, tracing the path of her shed tears. Her eyes themselves were red and poofy. Her hair was disheveled from neglect. In short, she was a mess. But it didn't matter at the moment. It wasn't as if she was going out anywhere. In the back of her mind, Sam knew she'd have to come out of her hole eventually.

Her attention was caught by the familiar sound of her grandmother's electric wheelchair whizzing down the hallway. Sam made a run for the bed, quickly scurrying under the covers, hoping Grandma Ida wasn't planning on trying to talk to her. Her Grandmother was the only person at her house she could truly talk to without being judged for her individuality. Sam, however, wasn't in the mood, content with lying in her own laziness and self-pity. She sighed, hearing the wheelchair whir to a stop in front of her room. She pulled the covers to her head, hoping her feigned slumber would deter her guest. She heard her lock click, confirming that Grandma Ida was indeed coming in. She slowed her breathing and stayed as quiet as possible.

Sam heard her door whoosh open and heard her Grandma enter. Sam also noticed there were footsteps as well. Sam could only guess who it could have been. Her mom, wanting her to try another pink dress? Her father, wanting her to suck it up, glad that she wasn't associating with such riffraff? Her guessing game was cut short as her covers were suddenly pulled off. Her curtains were also abruptly opened, the sudden sunlight catching her off guard. She squinted as her eyes as she tried to make out who was disturbing her cave of solitude.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty," a familiar voice called out. She groaned, knowing exactly who it was. "Actually, cross off the beauty part. You really look like crap."

"What the heck are you doing here, Tuck?" she growled under her breath, trying to find something to cover her eyes. Tucker Foley grinned at his handy work. "And what the heck would have happened if I was naked?" The comment caught Tucker by surprise, causing him to blush slightly.

"Don't blame me. Your Grandma was the one who called me," he replied. As if on queue, the door of the room closed, signaling Ida Manson's departure. Realizing everyone was against her, Sam sat up and rubbed the remaining sand from her eyes. "How are you holding up?"

"You have to ask," she retorted. "Our best friend decided he was too good for us, so he threw us out like yesterday's garbage. How do you think I feel?"

"As bad as you look," he remarked. He ducked as a pillow flew in his direction.

"I'm not in the mood, Tucker," she snarled. "I just need to be alone, that's all."

"No, you need to be with a friend," Tucker insisted. "Staying kooked up in here isn't healthy. We're gonna go and hang out and we're gonna talk about what happened."

"What if I don't want talk about what happened?" she erupted. "What I want to be alone? What if I'm happy staying here pretending nothing happened?"

"Damn it, Sam!" Tucker shot back heatedly. "That's exactly what Danny did. And I'd be damned if I lost another friend that way." Sam sat their, speechless. She looked down into her lap.

"I'm sorry, Tuck," she finally managed to mumble.

"I know you were hurt," he began. "But you weren't the only one. That's even more reason for us to stick together. We were always able to deal a lot better as a team."

"What if…" Sam started reluctantly. "What if we bump into him? What do we say?"

"We won't have to worry about that for a while," he replied. "The Fentons all went on a business trip to Jump City a few days ago."

"Wait, all of them?" she asked. The news definitely caught her interest. "Even… wait a sec, did you say Jump City? THE Jump City?"

"Yeah," Tucker began before he was interrupted by a ring in his pocket. Pulling out various gadgets from his pockets, he finally reached the source of the noise: his cellphone. He glanced at the caller-ID to see who it was. "I need to take this."

"Who is it?" Sam teased, a little bit of her old self creeping back. "Can't be a girlfriend."

"Ha, very funny," he responded. "It's Jazz."

"How do you know its Jazz?" she asked curiously. "Unless you've talked to her before. Now why have you been talking to Jazz?"

"We talk about stuff, alright!" Tucker said, his voice cracking in his flustered state. Before he could even blink, his phone was out of his hands and in the hands of Sam, who was smiling devilishly. Tucker made a dash for his phone, which Sam was easily able to dodge with no trouble at all. To Tucker's chagrin, she pushed the talk button and placed the phone over her ear, preparing to embarrass him.

"Hello?" she heard the voice say. It most definitely did not sound like Jazz. Sam froze, knowing exactly who it was on the other side.

"Danny?" she whispered. She never thought she'd ever speak to him again. She couldn't find anything to say to him at all, neither in anger or in sadness. She just sat their thunderstruck.

"Sam?" Danny said in an equally surprised tone. "Is that you?"

Sam shook her head in an attempt to get herself back into reality. She wasn't going to let know how sad and depressed she was. "What do you want?" she said, mustering up all of her usual Goth indifference she could.

"I…I wanted to talk to you," he stuttered. "To you and Tucker. About the other day."

"So what, you can rub it in our faces?" Sam exploded. "We get it already. You don't want us to be your sidekicks anymore."

"No, that's not it," Danny replied. "I wanted to apologize to you guys. And I wanted to explain why I was such a jerk." Sam was actually taken aback by the sincere and humble tone Danny was using. This wasn't the asshole that had rejected them earlier in the week. This actually sounded like the old lovable, goofy Danny they used to love. That she used to love. She glanced over at Tucker, whose face was just as conflicted as hers. She put the phone on speakerphone so that they both could listen in.

"So, go ahead. Talk," Sam stated. "You have five minutes before we hang up on you." She heard a sigh on the other end.

"I know it probably doesn't mean much to you right now, but I'm sorry for the other day," he started. "Actually, scratch that. I'm sorry for the whole year. I'm sorry I ignored you guys and I'm sorry for what was said. I didn't mean any of it. It's just that… I was scared. Scared to loose you and Tucker. Scared I wouldn't be strong enough to protect you. I've always been scared of loosing you guys, but it never dawned on me till the whole future thing and the thing last year where everyone was turned to stone. It was the first time since I got my powers that I actually felt helpless.

"And then that fear just became like a cancer, eating away at me. The it just became bigger and bigger until it just started to take over my life. I kept thinking I was a failure and that I was too weak to protect you. I started to train like I was possessed thinking it was enough. And then I had this stupid idea that it was too dangerous for you guys to hang around me. I tried to push everyone away, thinking that it would keep you guys safe, so you wouldn't get hurt. But instead of protecting you, it hurt you. All I was doing was setting it up so that if I did fail, I'd be cushioning the blow.

"The truth is I was a coward. You guys are the best thing that ever happened to me. You were always there for me, even when I was an idiot. I was trying to become strong without you when you guys were my strength. You're the reason I fight. You're the reason I keep going when all hope is gone. I tried so hard to become strong when all I was doing was weakening myself.

"I'm sorry I put you through that. I'm sorry I was such an ass to you guys. I'm sorry it took me so long to see how much I hurt you." Danny paused for a moment to catch his breath. He was about to continue when he was interrupted by the stifled weeping of Sam.

"You idiot!" she exclaimed between sobs. "You should have come to us! We could have helped you! You-You made us worry so much…" Danny flinched at her cries, all too aware at the fact he was the reason she was shedding tears.

"I know," he replied. "I should have come to you guys about how I felt. I should have done a lot of things differently. And I know that after all I've done to you guys, you probably don't want anything to do with me anymore. I just wanted you to know what I don't hate you guys or anything. And I'm sorry for being an idiot."

"You really are clueless, you know that?" Tucker said, finally making his presence known. He had held back his tongue during the whole conversation. "If you weren't so boneheaded, you would already know that friends don't give up each other so easily."

"You mean, you guys aren't mad at me?" Danny asked in shock.

"Hell no!" Tucker replied. "We're still pretty pissed at you. And we'll probably wail on you after you get home. But we understand."

"Don't you ever put us through that crap again!" Sam abruptly butted in, her signature temper flaring up again, "Or so help me, I'm so gonna kick your ass." The halfa chuckled, finding his mind at ease.

"Don't worry, I won't," he answered.

"So," Tucker began, "What's it like to meet the Teen Titans?" Danny could only smile at his geeky friend's fan boy question.

"I'm not the one to ask, considering I've been a complete jerk to them the whole time"

"Danny, you didn't," Sam said in disappointment. "Don't tell me you did the whole emo thing to the Titans, did you?"

As they continued to talk, Danny couldn't stop smiling. He was finally reunited with his friends. Thankful for the second chance, he hoped that he didn't screw it up again.

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

After an hour or two of meditating to calm her emotions down, Raven finally made her way to the common room for her morning cup of tea. She found Beast Boy there, scarfing down a bowl of cereal, since no one had made breakfast yet.

"Morning, Raven," Beast Boy greeted. "You're up pretty late. Had trouble sleeping?"

"Had to meditate a bit," she said tersely, not wanting to clarify. The last thing she wanted was her emotions to start acting up again. "Where is everyone?" she asked, wanting to change the subject.

"Cyborg is up on the roof with the Fentons building some weird ghost doohickey. Star was helping them carry a few things around. Robin is in dreamland after pulling an all nighter patrol. And I'm here having breakfast."

"Have you seen Danny or Jazz anywhere?" Raven asked carefully.

"Like I care," the changeling replied with a huff. "That Danny guy is a big fat certifiable jerk." Raven hid a smirk at Beast Boy's response. First thing she had to do once she found Danny was to have him apologize to the rest of the Titans. That is, if she wanted to find him. Though she wanted to be just friends to the ghost boy, her emotions had other plans it seemed. She definitely had to sort her thoughts out before she faced him again. She wasn't exactly sure what she felt about him now that her mind had brought up an unexpected angle into the equation. Did she actually like him like that? Was she even allowed to have feelings like that? Of course, that was beside the point. It's not like he would go for a girl like her anyway. Would he?

"Earth to Raven? Yo, Rae, can you hear me?" Beast Boy called out, bringing Raven back to reality. "You ok? Spacing out is something normally I do."

"Just fine," Raven replied coolly, though she wasn't so sure. The doors to the common room opened as Cyborg walked in. He yawned as last night caught up with him with a vengeance.

"Man, I'm starving," he exclaimed hungrily as he reached for the refrigerator to get some regular milk. After finding the cartoon, he sat next to his green friend and began to chow down on Sweety-O's with him.

"I thought Starfire was with you?" Beast Boy asked his metallic companion.

"She went to see how Robin was doing after she helped me move the generators downstairs," he replied with a devilish grin. "They're probably making out even as we speak. If she managed to wake him up, that is."

"So what exactly were you working on?" Raven interrupted. The last thing she needed was romantic descriptions that would give her mind fodder to work with.

"Ghost shield," he replied in between spoonfuls of cereal. "It should repel any ghost that comes within one-hundred yards of the tower. Plus we added some ghost sensors so we can know when their coming in advance. Those ghosts won't know what hit'em. Any luck on your end?"

"No, unfortunately," she answered. "That book I can't figure out what the key is to unlocking that book."

"Whatever it is, they sure went to a whole lot of trouble in trying to snatch it yesterday," Cyborg commented. "We should be able to keep it safe in the meantime. You remember the safe room we made to keep you safe from Trigon last year? We're putting anti-ghost emitters into the walls. Just in case the ghosts get through the shield. That should keep the book safe."

Raven simply nodded, glad some things were going right this morning. She was about to say something else when the doors once again opened revealing Danny Fenton. Beast Boy glanced over and upon seeing Danny, stopped and stared. His spoon fell out of his hand and into his bowl with a splash. He nudged his elbow into Cyborg and pointed, unintelligible babbling leaving his lips. Cyborg glanced into the direction Beast Boy was pointing to and he, too, was frozen in shock. For the first time they had begrudgingly met him, Danny Fenton was smiling.

Raven was the last one to notice the change in the once troubled teen, but she was equally surprised; his smile was truly rare and Raven found that she actually liked it. His smile evolved into a full grown toothy grin once he spotted Raven. Before she could even blink, he was advancing towards her. Cyborg and Beast Boy's eyes never left the teen as he moved. But what happened next was something that truly freaked them out. Danny, upon reaching Raven, wrapped both his arms around her in a bear hug. He lifted her up and spun her around a number of times; all while chanting "Thank You!" over and over.

The two titans who witnessed the event were no longer in their seats, but now hiding behind the couch, their heads peaking over the top and their eyes threatening to jump out of their sockets. Though their reaction seemed extreme to some, they had very good reason to act this way. Raven, despite her newly found openness, was still by nature a person who enjoyed her privacy and personal space. In other words, she didn't like to be touched very much, especially not by surprise. Doing so was usually met by her tower famous rage. Beast Boy knew this from experience; he had been the brunt of Raven's wrath a number of times. So Cyborg and Beast Boy knew they were mere moments away from Raven blowing her top and doing something rather unpleasant to the unsuspecting teen that had her in his grasp.

Their patience was met with disappointment as Raven just did nothing. She was surprised, sure, as her eyes were as wide as saucers from the contact. But instead of her yelling or someone being flung out the window into the awaiting bay (something else Beast Boy was all too familiar with), she just stood there and did nothing. After a few spins, Danny had put her down and oblivious to her state, turned and walked out again.

Time passed as the spectators looked back and forth from the still frozen Raven and the door to which Danny disappeared into. They both gingerly moved out of their hiding place, walking slowly towards their petrified teammate.

"You ok, girl?" Cyborg asked cautiously, hoping not to incur her delayed fury. His words seemed to have knocked out of her dazed state as she began to blink. He almost thought he saw a blush begin to creep onto her cheeks, but any evidence was hidden as her hood was quickly thrown over her head.

"I have to go!" she sputtered as she was consumed by her dark powers and teleported out of the room.

"Dude!" Beast Boy finally managed to utter after minutes of silence. "What the heck just happened?"

"I don't know, man," was all Cyborg could muster, "I don't know."

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

Raven was once again in her room, trying to catch her breath. What the heck happened just now? Her mind was in a state of chaos as the past few minutes replayed in her memory. Her heart was pounding in her chest as if it was trying desperately to jump out. Her hand reached for her dresser for support as she tried and failed to calm herself down. Easier thought than done, it seemed.

What scared her wasn't the fact that she was caught off guard by his smile (which pretty much took her breath away), or the fact that he hugged her. It was the fact that when all things were said and done, she actually enjoyed it. Having his strong arms around her actually excited her, sending her heart racing and her hands shaking. Any other person would have been flying half way to China right now thanks to her powers, but actually didn't mind being hugged by him. In fact, much to her shock, she wouldn't mind another one.

She could feel her emotions bouncing around in her head like Mexican jumping beans. She never felt like this before and the lack of control in the mater frankly scared her. She crossed her legs in the lotus position as tried to solidify some semblance of control in her mind.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Danny was in a state of pure happiness. He had just spent the last hour catching up to his two best friends, after almost of year of distance between them. Talking to them after so long had lifted Danny's spirits immensely. They had talked as if nothing had happened, comparing notes and reminiscing about old times. He knew it wasn't that easy; there would be a long ways to go to rebuild their friendship and restore the trust that he had broken. But at the moment, he felt that nothing could ruin his day.

He entered the kitchen after his stomach begged him to feed it. He was hoping to bump into Raven to thank her for giving him the needed kick in the pants to change. He got his wish when he spotted chatting with some of the other titans in the kitchen area. Unfortunately for him, his common sense was noticeably absent at the wheel, as his euphoria along with his gratitude took over his body. Before he even knew it, he had Raven trapped in a bear hug that would've made his dad proud.

As he walked further and further away from the common room, his pace slowed down considerably. Common sense had finally taken control and with it apprehension of what had just happened.

"Holy crap, what did I just do?" he said loudly. He definitely had crossed the line. Even though they could probably be considered friends, common courtesy said that he went too far, especially since she was a girl. His hands went though his black hair as he went into a full panic attack. Was she angry at him now? Did he disgust her? Did she flat out hate his guts now? Questions like these raced through his skull in blinding speed as his forehead met with the nearby wall repeatedly "Nice going, Fenton," he chided to himself as thought out his next course of action. He had to apologize; that was a given. The last thing he wanted was to loose another friend. He sighed to himself as another thought slipped into his mind; that maybe the hug wasn't so bad. That maybe he actually liked it.

Did he like her like her like that? His memory jumped back to last night, when Valara changed into the women of his fantasy. The others he expected: he used to have a crush on Paulina and he had dated Valerie for a while, even when she had a vendetta against his ghostly alter ego. Even Sam wasn't too much of a surprise. He had once had a crush on her during their friendship. Valara's last form had thrown him for a loop, however. Even before she had helped him through his self-destructive behavior, he didn't realize her had feelings for her. There wasn't any problem with that was there? She was a girl after all. And not a bad looking one at that. He guessed that he probably felt connected to her due to how similar they were to each other.

"Danny, are you ok?" Jazz asked her brother with concern. Danny, startled by her sudden appearance, jumped back a good five feet.

"Jeez, Jazz, don't sneak up on me like that," Danny replied between gasps.

"Was just wondering to see if you were ok," she replied. "You seemed a little tense. Did everything go ok with Sam and Tucker?"

"Perfect," he answered a little to enthusiastically. "Everything is fine. One-hundred percent. No problems here. Nope, absolutely none."

"Ooooo-Kay," his sister replied with an arched eyebrow. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," he said through a fake grin. "Never bet…" His were interrupted by a cough and cloud of blue mist that escaped his lips. Danny suddenly felt as if his whole body wad stuck in a freezer set on ice age. His teeth chattered began to shiver as he rubbed his arms and shoulders, trying to get warm.

"Danny?" Jazz exclaimed, her voice soaking with concern. "What's happening to you?"

"G-ghost sense,' he replied. "But it's n-never reacted this strongly b-before." He closed his eyes to focus on the ghost that had caused his ghost sense to go into overdrive. He could tell that the ghost was extremely powerful; so powerful it was threatening to give Danny a major headache. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and struggled to filter out ecto-plasmic noise. Danny opened his eyes again, his shivering was now all but gone. "This guy is strong, real strong. He also felt familiar, for some reason."

"You can tell all that?" she asked curiously. "It's in the tower?"

"It's a little trick I picked up," the halfa explained. "And no, he's halfway across town. But he's giving out so much ecto-plasm that I could feel him all the way from here." Concern crept up in Jazz's face at this revelation. "I need you to do a favor for me, Jazz. Go find mom and dad and tell them something big is coming. And tell them Phantom is coming to help." And with that, Danny headed off to the nearest bathroom to 'change'. Jazz wanted to call out to her brother, but the words were stuck in her throat. Her task now clear, Jazz went off to go find her parents.

"Just be careful, Danny."

* * *

**Author's Notes: and now for thanks for reviewage:**

**Nysk, phantoms-allie, Chiro Phantom, Kya - The Mystical Tigeress, A Falling Angel, Twilight-Phantom66, egyptianqueen777, Mako-Magic, RikuLuvr, December's Morose, fan-girls2.0, AirGirl Phantom, danna-chan, fadedphantom, Shiva the Sarcastic, Tetsukon, katiesparks, Sasia93, Poet Bucky, byakuganwalker, Plushiemon, Warrior of winds, southernstarshadow, Sqweakie the Wonder Mouse, Kradeiz, Nonasuki-chan, HiddenAuthor, FantomoDrako, Nobody Famous, Ice's Shadow, piloneo, lynn138, and dragonflysky**

**See you in a few days!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron **


	19. Chapter 18: The Face of Evil

**Author's Notes: Another chapter for my faithful. Didn't have to wait long, did you? This one continues from the last chapter as the countdown to the showdown continues. We finally meet the big bad aka the master aka Valara's dad. What evil and dastardly plan does he have for our heroes? Well, only one way to find out!!**

* * *

Haunted Destiny Chapter 18: The Face of Evil

The tower's main early detection system went off, bathing every room in flashing red lights. Cyborg, who was already in the common room, heading to computer to see what caused their alarm to trip. A map of the city sprang to life across the big screen. A green dot blinked in the downtown area, indicating that the tower's sensors had picked up a ghost signature. Beast Boy turned to the whoosh of the elevator doors as Jack and Maddie Fenton entered the room.

"Looks like the ghost sensors worked like a charm, Mads!" Jack said with glee. Maddie nodded with equal enthusiasm and she went over to the computer console that Cyborg was working on.

"Cyborg, can you pull up the readings from the ecto-plasmic reaction?" she asked sweetly. Cyborg complied as various meters and numbers appeared on screen. Her eyes narrowed for a moment as she focused on the deluge of information then widened as something dawned on her. She typed up something on the keyboard, pulling up the file from her scans in the warehouse the day before.

"It's the same," she said in shock. "This signature is the same one from the warehouse. The one that was overlapping the Box Ghost's signature. But it's different, much different. It's almost one hundred times power powerful. I've never seen ecto-plasm act like this before!"

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing," a very curious Beast Boy asked.

"It's a bad thing," Maddie confirmed. "It's not only that it's strong, but this ecto-plasm is behaving in a way that I've never seen. It's almost as if it's the ghost equivalent of radiation." Before she continued, Robin and Starfire entered the room.

"Status update," their team leader solicited. Cyborg nodded put his focus back on the screen.

"We got a ghost in the downtown district," the cybernetic titan started. "A real powerful one according to Mrs. F."

"How long till it reaches us?" Robin asked.

"It won't," Cyborg explained. "It's not moving. It's just sitting there."

"He's baiting us," the boy wonder concluded. "He wants us to come to him."

"Robin, I am worried," Starfire said. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I fear this foe maybe too powerful for us to defeat." Robin smiled as he laid his hand on hers.

"Don't worry, Star," he reassured. "We'll beat this, like we always do." Starfire smiled warily and nodded her head, her worries slightly at ease.

"Mom! Dad!" Jazz called out as she burst through the doors.

"Jazz, sweetie, what's wrong?" Maddie asked worriedly. Before Jazz could utter a response, the alarm went off again.

"Hold on, we got another ghost signal," Cyborg stated. "Holy….its already in the tower! Closing in on the source…'

"Its right here," a disembodied voice declared as Danny Phantom faded into view. Two bazookas, a sonic cannon, a glowing bo-staff, a set of claws and two glowing fists were now all pointed in his direction. The ghost-boy gulped and smiled sheepishly, waving to everyone. Before anyone could move, Danny found himself surrounded by a shield of black energy. Raven appeared in front of him, blocking the path of the titans.

"He's here to help," she said matter of factly. Everyone else gaped at her declaration.

"Wait, hold on, girl," Cyborg chimed in. "Didn't you hate the guy yesterday?"

"Things change," she replied tersely. "We had a little… chat last night. He wants to help us." Robin glared back and forth between Raven and Phantom.

"Raven, we need to talk alone," he commanded as they both stepped off to the side. The other Titans and the Fentons eyed Danny warily, their weapons still trained on him. Jazz gave a sympathetic look as she tried to find a way to relieve the tension between them.

"Raven, are you crazy!" Robin exclaimed. "You're expecting us to trust this guy? He's unpredictable and he's a loose cannon. And he definitely has teamwork issues. Not to mention he almost demolished the tower while he was showboating."

"I don't expect you to trust him," she responded. "I'm asking you to trust me. He had… reasons for acting like the way he did. He feels sorry for what he did and wants to help."

"But how do you know that?" her leader countered. "How do you know this isn't some ploy? How do you know he won't go haywire and get us all killed? What if he ends up like…"

"Like Terra?" she finished for him. "All I can say is that I went into his mind last night and I know and understand how he feels. He and I went through some similar things. He just wants to help. He just got carried away, that's all. I seem to remember a certain boy blunder got just as hotheaded whenever someone ever mentioned a certain villain." Robin winced at her insinuation. He knew he was guilty of jumping the gun whenever Slade was involved. "Besides, we need him. Ghosts are his territory. We need all the help we can get, especially with this new one. I have a bad feeling about this new situation."

He sighed as he struggled to make a decision. Raven wasn't someone who trusted anybody easily. The fact that he trusted Phantom after chewing him out the day before spoke volumes.

"I'm trusting you with this, Raven," he finally resolved. "He's your responsibility. If he acts up…"

"I'll take care of it myself," she reassured. He nodded as they both returned to the group.

"We're taking Phantom along," Robin announced. Everyone stared at him in surprise as if he had grown a third arm.

"But he's a ghost!" Jack Fenton bellowed. "He got Jazz hurt!" Phantom had a guilty expression at the claim.

"And he's saved us and our city more times than we could count," Jazz chimed in. "I think we can give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, that was just an accident, Dad." Maddie was still unsure of the ghost boy as she glanced cautiously.

"I'm sorry about that," Phantom apologized. "I didn't mean to…" his act of contrition was cut short as he was overcome by a fit of coughing. Large puffs of blue mist discharged from his mouth with each cough. He began to shiver once again, feeling a chill spread across his body all the way to his bones.

"Phantom!" Jazz called as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine," he ensured, trying to shake off the freezing cold that emanated from his core. "My ghost sense is acting up again."

"Ghost sense?" Maddie inquired. 'You mean you can actually sense other ghosts nearby? No wonder you get to ghost attacks before we do!" Her worry and caution was now overtaken by her scientific curiosity.

"I'm unique in that regard, among other things," the ghost teen responded. "Whoever this guy is, he's been setting my ghost sense off like crazy. This has never happened to me before, so I'm a little bit worried." Jazz's face turned somber. If Danny was worried, then they were in definite trouble.

"Ok, here is the game plan," Robin interrupted. "The Fentons along with Phantom and Raven will go in their RV. Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy and I will take the T-Car. If we head him off in the middle, we'll hopefully be able to catch him by surprise. We'll hit him with everything we got." Everyone nodded in agreement, all of them hopeful they'll be able to win.

"Jazz, honey, where is your brother?" Maddie suddenly asked, aware that the younger Fenton was not present. Jazz froze for a moment, her mind racing to think up an excuse.

"I just saw him," she sputtered nervously. "He went to his room to brood, I think."

"Jazz, I need you to do a favor for me," her mother began in a serious tone. "I need you to stay here and keep your brother out of trouble." Jazz began to protest until she realized she had no solid grounds to protest on. "I know you've been a great help with us, but this new ghost is too dangerous. You were already hurt once and I don't want you two in any more danger." Phantom glanced at his sister guiltily while Raven eyed them both.

"I understand, mom," she complied, defeated. Maddie smiled in relief.

"The ghost shield will be up and running, so no spooks will be able to get to you, Jazzypants," Jack boasted. "You and your brother will be safe in here."

"One more thing," the boy wonder continued. He focused his gaze purely on Phantom, which left him a bad feeling in the pit of the halfa's stomach. "I take the safety of my team seriously. Very seriously. So if you do anything jeopardize them or the Fentons, I'll hold you personally responsible, ghost or no ghost. Are we clear?" Phantom gulped and then nodded in agreement.

"Crystal," he replied, looking Robin straight in the eye. They exchanged glares for a moment before Robin turned to the rest of the team.

"Titans, GO!"

XPVPXPVPXPVPXPVPXPVPXP

On top of the rooftop of one of the many skyscrapers of Downtown Jump City, a lone figure watched from his perch. He looked across the vast city, across the bay beyond that to the oddly shaped tower that stood on it's on surrounded by water. He smiled as he felt his targets move. Just as he predicted, they were coming to him. Quite literally like moths to a flame he commented to himself.

A flash of flame and smoke appeared besides him as Valara emerged. Her usual confident smile was gone, replaced by a battle ready frown. She bent down to one knee, awaiting her father's response.

"So glad you could join me, my dear," he spoke, smiling at his daughter's resolve. She nodded and arose.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Daddy," she replied, her Cheshire cat smile appearing only for a fleeting moment. He nodded in approval, turning his attention towards the city.

"Look at them," he commented. "So weak, so insignificant. So alive. It's revolting. I don't know what that boy sees in humanity. Their weakness is enough to wipe them off the face of the planet. Old Trigon had the right idea. It was too bad he was too weak to succeed. Where the immortal fail, the dead shall achieve, I suppose. His weak hearted daughter should take his place in my plans nicely, however."

Valara was only vaguely listening to her father's ravings, however. Her mind was fixated on one thing, or rather one person: Phantom. She thought about how she wasn't going to fail this time to make him hers. Though she wanted to turn him herself, if it came down to it, her father's method of 'persuasion' was a small price to pay to get what was hers. Her mind began to drift to the reason she had failed the first time: Raven. That witch had meddled in her plans when she was so close in achieving her goal. She was going to make that bitch pay for standing between her and her true love. Her fists clenched and a fire began burning in her eyes as she prepared herself.

"It seems our guests are almost here," he father suddenly declared, knocking her out of her reverie. "They think they're clever. They're actually trying to catch us by surprise. Let's see if we can make them feel welcome." Valara was now grinning from ear to ear, not able to help herself. The master looked up into the sky as his eyes began to glow menacing. He pointed straight into the air and began to chant the words: "Prodigium of incendia , patefacio quod solvo meus creatura of incendia expleo meus mos!"

Valara smirked at the oncoming chaos that was about to be unleashed. She hoped that her love was strong enough to survive it.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Jack Fenton was at the wheel of the Fenton RV as is barreled its way down the streets of downtown Jump City. Next to him sat his wife, who was alternating in between examining her instruments and eyeing Phantom, who sat behind them, next to Raven. She was once again pondering on old mysteries surrounding the ghost teen: who he was in his past life, what drove him to protect humans and why he seemed to look so familiar. He didn't look like a supernatural being who reveled in causing fear in humans. He looked like a normal teenager. Her observation was confirmed by the way he nervously stole glances at the sorceress who sat next to him. Maddie could have sworn he was blushing as well.

"Listen, about that thing earlier," he finally managed to whisper. Raven, who was off in her own thoughts, looked back at him, then turned away. She was glad she had her hood up, or else the blush that was slowly creeping up her own cheeks would be showing.

"About what?" she asked nonchalantly.

"About the whole hug thing and the….listen, I just got a bit carried away," he explained. "I just wanted to…"

"I don't think now is the time for that," she dismissed, changing the subject abruptly. "We'll… talk about it later." Danny sighed. Maybe she was mad at him, if her cold shoulder routine was any indication. Ironically enough, his ghost sense kicked in once again at that very moment, causing him to shiver. His reaction caught both Raven's and Maddie's attention. He focused on gaining control once again, feeling the chill subside.

"Are you sure you can fight like that?" Raven asked skeptically. Danny actually smiled, glad she was still concerned.

"I think so," he replied. "I'm just not sure why my ghost sense is acting up like this. I've never had to focus this much to keep it under control before. It shouldn't be a problem, though. You'll be watching my back, after all." His comment solicited another blush from Raven, though he still didn't notice due to the shadows of her cloak. Maddie's eyes furrowed; if she didn't know any better, she could have sworn he was flirting. Her thoughts overcame her mind until she found her lips were moving on their own accord.

"Why?" the older woman asked. Both Danny and Raven had equally quizzical looks on their faces. "Why are you helping us? Why do you help humans in the first place? Any why are you different from other ghosts?' Danny fidgeted as one question after another was sent in his direction.

"I didn't exactly get a manual when it happened," he replied after a few moments of silence. "I just… I just don't like it when people get hurt. I know sounds weird coming from a ghost. Then again, I'm not exactly like other ghosts. I just care about humans, that's all. Besides, I'm sort of a different from most ghosts."

"But what makes you different?" she continued to push. "And why do you care?"

"Why do you hunt ghosts? Why do the Titans stop bad guys when they could have easily become bad guys themselves? No offense," he directed to Raven.

"None taken," she replied, a slight grin on her face.

"I just do the best I can,' he continued. "Sometimes I fail and sometimes I make mistakes, but it's no use dwelling on it." Maddie soaked his words as he spoke. She noticed something about him: many of his mannerisms reminded her of her son, Danny. She wondered if maybe there was a connection between the two.

"Almost there, Mads!" Jack said as he eyed the ghost tracker. Maddie turned back to the front of the RV and looked up into the sky.

"Wasn't it sunny a moment ago?" she asked curiously. The sky now had an ominous shade of grey as clouds covered the sun. She jumped when lightning began to strike in the sky. Oddly enough, there was no thunder. At the same moment, Raven could feel that something was wrong. She could feel a large amount of magic being released above them. It was then that she heard her communicator go off.

"Yo Rae, are you seeing this?" called a worried Cyborg. "Those clouds are starting to swirl up a storm up there. Think big bad knows we're coming?" His question was answered as two things began to happen. First thing was the clouds swirling overhead began to take on an ethereal glow. The second thing was a large, flaming rock the size of a car emerged from the swirling mass, heading straight for the RV.

"Incoming!" the large ghost hunter called out as he stepped on the accelerator. Everyone in the RV was now thanking Jack for his crazy driving, because it was now saving their lives. He swerved out of the way of the large flaming rock, which embedded itself into the road, sending ash and debris everywhere. Unfortunately, that was just the start. They watched in horror as many more meteor-like objects were now raining down upon them and somewhere else in the city, where they deduced the T-Car was located.

Jack floored it once again as he dodged like a madman. Every passenger held on for dear life as the vehicle veered back and forth, in a mad dash effort to stay in one piece. Danny looked through the window to find there were just too many of them to dodge.

"Jack, drive straight!" he called out.

"But…'Jack Fenton objected. He definitely didn't want to die.

"Just trust me," Danny assured. "Just go straight and floor it!" Danny placed his hand on the wall of the RV and closed his eyes. He concentrated all of the power he could muster into turning the RV intangible. Raven watched as first him and then slowly the rest of the GAV turned translucent. The ghost boy grunted as he tried to keep the entire thing untouchable. The passengers watched in morbid fascination as the rocks merely passed through them.

"Oh crap, veer left, veer left," they heard Beast Boy cry out on the still active communicator.

"Quit side-driving, you little grass stain!" Cyborg bellowed back. An explosion could be heard and then silence.

"Cyborg! Beast Boy! Robin!" Raven called out. She was met with nothing but static. The communicator fell out of hands as the RV made a sharp turn around the corner. They all were met by the sight of the charred, burning carcass of the T-Car. Unfortunately, that exact moment, Danny's intangibility decided to give out, right when the RV was rocketing towards the wreckage. Jack managed to fishtail the large vehicle out of the way, but not before causing it to flip over, skidding to a halt.

"Anyone get the license plate of that celestial object?" Phantom moaned as he climbed out. The others produced similar sounds of discomfort. They all watched the burning T-Car solemnly.

"My baby!" was heard from above. They looked up to find a green pterodactyl carrying Cyborg down to the ground. Starfire, who had Robin in tow, followed their descent. Once they landed, Cyborg ran towards the flaming remains of his baby. "What did they do to my baby?"

"At least it wasn't your head," Beast Boy mumbled under his breath.

"Everyone ok?" Robin asked his team. Other than a few bumps and bruises, everyone was relatively intact.

"At least it isn't raining fire and brimstone anymore," Danny commented. The attack from above had indeed stopped. The resulting carnage caused everyone to flinch. The streets lay in ruins, cracks and craters strewn everywhere. Surprisingly enough, none of the buildings were damaged, only the road the titans had been traveling on. "That attack was pretty precise."

"So glad you could join us," a voice called from above. The titans all readied themselves for battle. The Fentons followed suit, drawing out their ghost weapons while Phantom's fists began to glow with ghost energy. The source of the voice flew through a billowing tower of smoke and descended towards them. His appearance was jarring. He was of medium height, but with a thin, almost skeletal frame. He wore dark red trench coat made of what seemed to be dragon skin, which was buttoned tightly down to his waist, while the tattered tail billowed in the wind. He wore black pants which hung tightly to him, further displaying his frail form. Of course his most striking feature was his face and head. It resembled a piece of volcanic landscape more than flesh. Its hue was the darkest black, almost like volcanic rock. And like volcanic rock, it was crackled and fractured. Between the cracks was an eerie orange glow, as if molten lava was flowing underneath his skin. His eyes shone the same spark, their penetrating stare burning through the titans. He smirked at the heroes, which seemed to unsettle them all. In his hand he held a scythe, its blade reflecting the glow from his eyes. It gave the impression he was death himself, here to bring them to the afterlife.

Behind him, another figure appeared. It was the same ghost girl from the night before: Valara. Upon seeing Phantom her predatory grin returned, winking at the ghost boy. She then scowled at Raven, her eyes burning with unkempt rage. Raven merely raised an eyebrow, unphased by her invisible barrage.

"I hope my little welcoming present was to your liking," the figure continued. "I always like to make my guests feel welcome." He focused his gaze on Danny, which made the halfa freeze in his tracks, literally. The very act of looking at him made Danny's ghost sense to come back in full force, causing him to shiver. "So you're the boy my daughter is so enamored with. Danny Phantom, was it not? Such a unique creature you are." He then set his sights on Raven. "And the Gem of Skath herself. The one who defeated Trigon the Terrible. I'll have to thank you for that."

"Who are you," Robin asked, a slight waver in his voice. The others used their leader's voice to find resolve and some courage. The ghost turned towards the boy wonder with a grin.

"Silly me. Where are my manners?" he replied. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Xanthus Pyre. I come bearing gifts. The gift of oblivion."

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**Author's Notes: Hope you liked that surprise. Now, a little bit of news: next chapter is gonna be a flashback. Basically we'll delve into the pasts of my two bads, Xanthus and Valara Pyre. Special thanks to 'Me the Anon One' for helping me think up the names.  
**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron **


	20. Chapter 19: Father's Shadow Part 1

**Author's Notes: Ladies and Gents, I bring you Father's Shadow. A two part Flashback detailing the origins of both Xanthus and Valara Pyre. Hope part one aims to please. Part two shall come later in the week.**

**I do have one request for my fans. The Funk is by no means an artist. Frankly, I draw stick figures crapily. So I was wonder if any of the awesome artists out there could do me a favor. I'd really love it if one of you did an artistic rendition of my two baddies. If you decide to take up the challenge, just message me if you need more details on the characters' looks. I'd really appreciate it. I'm sure you guys are awesome artists (or better than me, any who).**

**And now on with the story!!!**

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Chapter 19: Father's Shadow Part I: Banishment

Earth, Unknown Location. 15 years ago.

He waited.

The young man sighed as he eyed the old pocket watch he had in his hand. It was an old reminder of the life he left behind before he joined the Order. He sighed as he it confirmed his fears: it was almost time. He looked around at his surroundings. The arena was slowly filling up with spectators as they took to their seats that surrounded the main area. In the middle was a ring of stone that was imbedded in the ground. Each stone had an inscription on it, in an unknown language all but lost to modern civilization. Around the ring was a small trench, in which four mages were now pouring an unidentifiable powder.

He looked towards the entrance of the room as some others filed in. Some of them were elders of the highest branches of the Order, while others were mere observers. Many of them had their hoods up, obscuring their faces from view. He could hear hushed whispers, talking about the event that was mere moments from occurring. He could also hear some of them murmur words of disappointment. He knew exactly whom they were speaking of. He sighed again as he mentally prepared himself. It wasn't everyday that you watch you best friend's execution.

"Bring in the prisoner," one of the elders called out. There was a murmur in the crowd as a panel in the wall opened. Two large guards, each with black masks covering their faces, pulled on a pair of chains as they entered the room. Behind them was the prisoner in question, his friend: Xanthus Pyre. His eyes were empty, as they had broken many times over already. He merely now a shell of his former self, pulling on the chains that restrained him like a wild animal. The man in the crowd could hardly stand to see his friend in this state, but he bit his tongue, unable to intercede.

He thought back to the day they first met only a few years ago. The man himself was a former professor of ancient history at a prestigious university in England. At least, that was his day job. At night, however, he dabbled in the arcane and the occult. In other words, he was a do it yourself wizard. He had long had an interest in magic and used his position at the university to get a hold of a plethora of reading materials on the subject. It was amazing what kind of books you could find in a musty old library and this school's library was one of the oldest and largest in England.

He dabbled into this and that, becoming quite proficient in the dark arts. He did this in complete secrecy, of course. If the university had any idea of what he was doing in his spare time, losing his job would be the least of his worries. Unfortunately, that's exactly what did happen. A summoning spell went awry one night and many students perished as a result. The faculty was in an outrage and literally chased him out of the school, pitchforks and all. Fortunately for him, the accident had caught the eyes of the Order of Skath. They saw he had potential and they were always willing to add new members. They offered him a vast library of spells and a powerful position within the Order. How could anyone refuse such an offer?

His friend, Xanthus, had been in a similar situation. He wasn't even from Earth, though. Xanthus hailed from enemy territory itself: Azarath. He was one of their best and brightest. He was a genius with spells and magic mechanics. His theories were unorthodox and his methods were eccentric but no one could deny that he was brilliant. Despite his brilliance, he fell victim to politics and bureaucracy. He had long been an advocate of militarizing Azarath in order to fight back against Skath and the mages and wizards who sided with him. His ideas were met by deaf ears, however; the High Council would not hear of it. They were content with keeping their pacifist way of life, despite what he thought was an obvious threat. He was too loud for his won good and he was eventually demoted. Feeling slighted, Xanthus had no qualms changing sides. He was the one in fact who contacted them.

His defection gave the Order of Skath a twofold advantage. Not only did they benefit from his skills as a wizard, but he gave them a much needed view of Azarath itself. For a long time, the Order had been looking for a way of keeping track of Gem of Skath, a much needed piece needed to bring their master back into the mortal realm. Xanthus' position not only gave them a person to watch over the portal, but allowed them to know the defenses and weaknesses of the city itself. As a reward, they allowed him free reign to work on any project he wished.

The two had met shortly after Xanthus joined the Order and became quick friends. He was assigned to be Xanthus' partner, collecting information from him that would be sent back to the Order. Their first assignment together was to find a way to breach the magical barrier that surrounded Azarath and protected the city from outside attacks. Thanks to Azarian's knowledge of Azarath's magical barrier, he was able to teleport back and forth without being detected. During his visits, they would talk about all sorts of things pertaining to magic. He would often bring Xanthus books from other places, most from his own planet Earth, whose magical history intrigued Xanthus immensely.

He should have seen it a mile away. As time went on, His friend got too cocky and overconfident. He took more and more risks with his experiments, which he hardly kept secret at all anymore. What brought attention to him the most were the disappearances; numerous people began disappearing in the city, which was unheard-of in Azarath. An investigation by the mages of Azar led to one suspect: Xanthus. He was found guilty of using illegal dark magics and for the disappearances and experimentation of who knew how many people. Their punishment was swift: they merely banished him from the dimension, never to return. The Order, on the other hand, was not so generous.

All of that had led to this. They simply intended to make an example of him. They tortured him through interrogation spells, which shifted through his mind like pages in a book, though rather roughly and slowly. They literally tore his mind apart, hoping to find something useful to use before they disposed of him. They found so much more, however; he had found a way to actually defeat their master. His treachery earned him far beyond a mere execution. It literally won him a one way ticket to hell.

"Xanthus Pyre," the head elder called out. His voice immediately silenced the crowd. "We, the elders of the Order of Skath, find you guilty of the following crimes: Not only for gross negligence and incompetence in your mission to keep surveillance on the gem but also for your treacherous plans to overthrow the dark lord himself!" The whispers grew louder as they began to talk among themselves again.

"We in the council have come to decide that death is too good for you and your treason. We take great pleasure in reading this verdict: we hereby banish you to the realm known as Acheron Prime." Everyone gasped at the verdict; to be banished to Acheron was a fate reserved the Order's most hated enemies. It was a place where nothing could possibly survive. The place was in fact a literal hell: fires burned without end and rivers of lava flowed on forever. The heat and flame themselves were far from normal. The fires were magical in nature, its power not only affecting magic but the very soul itself. It was rumored that death was not even an escape from such a place; that someone's soul would be trapped there, forever tormented by the inferno long after their body had died.

Even Xanthus, who was still not himself do to the interrogation, knew what it meant, as he struggled even more fervently upon the chains. The guards would not budge, however, as they held on to his restraints, keeping him immobile. They brought him into the center of the ring, attaching each chain to hooks that were imbedded in the ground. The guards immediately left the area, not wanting to even be anywhere near the banishment area.

The four mages who had prepared the ring earlier began their task as they began to chant once again, this time louder than before. All four pairs of eyes began to glow menacingly as they circled the ring, each holding an amulet which also began to glow. The trench, which they had filled with powder earlier, suddenly was ablaze, sending sparks into the air and creating a very lively display. The ring of fire which lit the trench suddenly began to rise slowly but surely. It levitated until it was just over head, pulsating with energy. Everyone's robes began flapping as a powerful, hot wind swept through the room, swirling around like a small tornado. Everything finally reached its climax as the portal finally opened, connecting the room with that hellish place. The chains holding Xanthus broke, though it would do him no good. The room watched as his form rose up unwillingly towards the doorway, sending him to his doom. As the portal closed, all could hear him screaming in agony.

He looked away from the arena, disgusted with himself that he wasn't able to help his now departed friend. He took out the picture that he had in his pocket. It was a picture Xanthus had shown him the very first time they had met. Xanthus had just become a new father and had shown him the picture of his new daughter, boasting that she would become a great sorceress one day, one that would rival even her father. He had kept it when Xanthus' things were confiscated as a memento. He pocketed the picture as he walked out.

"Don't worry, my friend," he began, "I'll make sure your little Lara is safe."

Azarath, 14 years later.

Valara Pyre sighed as she made her way out her last lecture of the day. She made it out of the class without any incidents, averting her eyes away from everyone else. The last thing she wanted was for them to tease her again. Se made sure her exit was nice and swift, making sure she was as unobtrusive as possible. She had long ago learned that this was the easiest way to make it through her courses while avoiding the usual ridicule she received.

Valara wasn't the most popular person in the academy. She was a simple girl, to say the least: her mousy brown hair was always braided in a neat ponytail. A large pair of glasses always hid her eyes from the world. She had the reputation of being a bookworm and rightly so; she spent many hours with her nose in a book, hidden away at the academy's library. Her choice in books was not necessarily tales of adventure, however. Most of her reading consisted of old tomes of magic and spells; everything from transmutation to the theory of infinite realms. She soaked it up, most often in her spare time, reading things far more advance than her normal studies require. To say she was a genius was quite the understatement. Unfortunately, it was part of her problem.

Despite her intelligence, she was ridiculed, by both fellow students and adults alike. It wasn't any of her doing. She never flaunted her abilities; she was too shy to do that. She'd much prefer being by herself than being with others. No, her persecution was the result of her predecessor: her father. Xanthus Pyre was one of the most intelligent geniuses in Azarathian history, but his reputation was forever tarnished by his betrayal to his own people. Like her father, Valara had insight beyond her years. She was able conjure up advanced spells and potions like a professional. Also like her father, her specialty was combining different forms of magic to form new combinations that rivaled the enchantments of the most advanced mage. In fact, she was so much like her father that people couldn't help but compare the two, which stemmed into their scorn. They saw Xanthus whenever they saw her.

Though the derision and laughter sometimes stung, she never thought ill of her father. She was very young when he was banished. She always looked up to him, despite the rumors and despite the fact she hardly remembered him. Like any child, she admired his skill and tried to do her best to be just like him. She didn't care all that much about what other people thought of her. Or, at least, that's what she always told herself. There were many times she felt the pain of loneliness. No book, no matter how informative, could talk back to her.

She made her way back to the humble house she called home. She stayed there by herself, ever since her mother died over a year ago. She closing the door behind her, she made her way to the main living area. She waved a hand, which caused a number of lamps to light on their own. She then maneuvered herself through the ever growing mountain of books that blocked her path to the table. The books stacked almost to her height, littering the floor. Pieces of paper could be seen sticking out of almost each and every one of them, marking notes and pages she meant to reread later. Finally making it to the table, she dropped her book bag and then scratched her head as she wondered where her chair was. She wasn't using it as a makeshift shelf again, was she?

"I see you still haven't cleaned up this place," a voice commented, scaring the daylights out of her. She jumped in surprise into a pile of books, tipping it over and falling along with it. Another pile shifted and toppled over her, burying her in darkness. She could hear a chuckle coming from outside her literary tomb, a laugh that was very familiar.

"That's not funny, Jules!" her muffled voice called out. Moments later the books began levitating out of the way. A hand was extended to her, which she took as it helped her back up. She looked at the smirking bearded face that she affectionately names Jules, much to his chagrin. She warmly embraced him. "I didn't expect you to come back so soon!"

"Well, you know me, love," he replied. She giggled at his unusual accent, which he had explained once as being British. "I come and go as I well please. And how have you been, missy?"

"Doing better now that you're here," she replied with a smile. She was always happy to see Jules whenever he came to visit. He had first appeared a few months after her mother's death. He had explained he was an old friend of her father, which quickly caused the girl to latch on to him for information. He often gave her stories on her father's exploits or would help her on some advance spell casting. He would always disappear or reappear suddenly and randomly; she never knew when he'd be back for a visit. She suspected that he didn't live in the city at all; that he was an outsider who worked with her father and the enemy. She overlooked her suspicions, however, for many reasons: she wanted to learn about her father and she enjoyed spending time with him learning about magic. That and she had a crush on the older man.

"Don't tell me those old buzzards are still giving you problems," Jules questioned with a frown. She shook her head.

"You don't need to worry about me, Jules. I'm fine, really," Valara said unconvincingly. Her smile wavered slightly.

"They shouldn't treat you like that, you know," he replied. "You're one of the brightest lasses I've met. They wouldn't know talent if it bit them I the arse." Valara blushed at the praise.

"I-I'm not that good," the young sorceress stammered, clearly embarrassed. "And I did have a great teacher."

"That you did," Jules said proudly. "But it takes a good student to learn." She found herself giggling once again, unaccustomed to all the admiration.

"Are you able to stay much longer?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Well, about that," he started, looking down nervously. She frowned at his sudden meekness. Jules was never a man who didn't have something to say.

"Is there something wrong, Jules?" she asked with caution, her heart fearing the worst. "You aren't leaving that soon, are you?"

"Actually," Jules continued reluctantly, "I'm gonna have leave very soon. But…"

"But what?" Valara insisted.

"You'll be coming with me," he answered. She said nothing for a few moments, processing the news he had just let drop. She then jumped up and tackled him in a big hug, squealing along the way.

"Thank you!" she shrieked in glee. Jules marveled how powerful her hug was, considering her size. Realizing what she was doing, she pulled back, blushing again. A curious look then appeared on her face. "Wait, I don't understand. You said you could take me before. What's different now?" She was met with even more silence. "Jules? Please, is something going to happen?"

"Azarath is going to be attacked tonight," he confirmed.

"You mean it's going to be attacked by the Order," she corrected. Jules stared at her flabbergasted. "I maybe young, but I'm not stupid. I figured out you were part of the Order of Skath ages ago. It was pretty obvious considering you're not even from the city. And considering you know so much about my father. I do have one question."

"Ask me anything, love," he replied.

"Is it wrong for me not to care about happens to this city?" she confessed. He sighed. Despite his affiliations, he felt it was a travesty for anyone her age to feel such apathy.

"Can't answer that one, unfortunately," he answered. "I can tell you that I promise to try and be there for you. I made that promise to your old man all those years ago. Now we have to move quickly. The next window out of here is in a few minutes."

"Just let me get a few things," Valara replied as she looked at all the books she wanted to bring.

"Sorry, love, but no horse and carriage today. You'll have to travel light," he insisted. "Besides, I have most of these books in my home back on Earth."

"We're going to Earth?" she inquired, her excitement now really building.

"We'll be going to our graves if you don't hurry it up," he warned. She quickly stuffed her book bag with some of her most important notes, as well as a book or two. She also added a picture of her father, completing her baggage. "Good, now let's get a move on before we get caught..."

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

They made their way on foot, avoiding any public places. They could have easily made a teleportation jump to their destination, but Jules didn't want to perform any magic that would alert any authorities. It was becoming dark soon, which made their movement all much easier.

They were headed to a spot near the edge of the city where the barrier that protected it was the weakest. Xanthus himself had found the spot many years ago. It was one of the many secrets the Order of Skath had acquired from him. Jules was hoping they could make it in time before the attack commenced. He looked at the beaten up old pocket watch he always carried with him, they were a number of yards away from their destination until suddenly an explosion rocked the area.

"Bloody hell, they started the attack early," he cursed.

"Or maybe that thing you call a timepiece was wrong," Valara mumbled under her breath.

"Now's not the time to learn how to be a tart, love," he replied as they made a run for it. The sounds of battle could be heard form a distance as screams filled the streets, along with the sounds of growling beasts. They reached their objective as Jules made the final preparations for their jump. Valara had never seen an interdimensional teleport done before, so she paid close attention to his incantation. She watched as a circle of light appeared around them. It quickly multiplied to three, each of which began to spin along their radii around them. She covered her eyes as the light engulfed them and as the world around her vanished for the last time.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

Jump City, One Week Later

The moment they had arrived on earth, Jules said he had to go and oversee something at the Order. That had been less than a week ago and he still had not come back. He gave her one specific instruction to follow while he was gone: He had allowed her to go outside, but she could not to do anything magical while in public. She had ventured out a few times over the past few days, but had mostly stayed indoors. Just like in Azarath, she felt like an outsider, even when she was amongst a crowd.

Jules's home was small and humble. It consisted of two bedrooms (well one plus a library which used to be a bedroom) a kitchen and a bathroom. His library was, as he had promised, extensive. It was also much larger than it should have been, do to the pocket dimension that occupied the room. It was the size of a small auditorium on the inside and had shelves that were several times her height. She wished he was there to explain how he had managed o create such a room.

One day she was reading one of the many books, using a window a reading light when she suddenly noticed how abruptly the sky had changed from sunny to grey to blood red. Her eyes widened in horror as she could feel it; a highly powerful magical reaction was taking place. A shiver ran down her spine as a right light engulfed the city. When her vision cleared, she couldn't help but gasp at what lay before her.

The day finally arrived. She watched in horror as the prophecy she had heard so much of as a child was finally fulfilled. The whole city was in shambles. The bustling streets that she used to watch from her window were now dead, both literally and figuratively. Instead of a sea of people who would normally go about their daily lives, the streets were now filled with statues, all of which were contorted into poses of terror. She was probably the only one who could still move in the city; Jules had told her there were wards placed on the building that would keep her safe from the coming apocalypse.

She felt truly alone then. The sounds of life were now gone, and were now replaced by the eerie silence. The book she was reading no longer had its appeal as she now huddled into a corner, hoping that maybe the apocalypse would pass her by. She began to cry, afraid for her own life and well being. She stayed like this for hours, quivering in fear of her life.

And then suddenly something miraculous happened. The bright light that had engulfed the city hours ago had returned, bathing it once again its radiance. The flash caught Valara's attention as she arose from her desolation. She slowly made her way back to the window, afraid of what she might find on the other side. She gasped for the second time that day as the city was once again back to its old self. The people were now back to normal, as well as the city. She wondered how this could have possibly had happened, but was forever grateful for the miracle nonetheless.


	21. Chapter 20: Father's Shadow Part 2

**Author's Notes: And just like that, I bringeth another chapter for your enjoyment. This one finishes up the flashback of how Xanthus and Valara became the ghosts they are today. I hope I do not disappoint. Next chapter shall bring you back to your regularly scheduled showdown between the Pyres and the Titans.**

**I'd like to point out that the character known simply as Jules isn't just there just because. He'll play an important part in future story lines. And technically, he isn't a new character. You've met him before. Where? Go read waaaaay in the beginning of the story. Look at the names of a few people. :p I know you'll find it.**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 20: Father's Shadow Part 2

Jump City, Eight Months Later

After a few months of being on earth, Valara was both amazed and flabbergasted by the advances and nuances of her strange new surroundings. She marveled at the ingenuity the people seemed to exude, despite their overall lack of magic. She was also extremely confused by some of their customs and somewhat barbarian ways. It was definitely not as peaceful as Azarath was, but she was slowly warming up to it.

Jules had still not come back, after so many months. She wondered if he had perished when Skath was defeated or possibly banished. After realizing the possibility that he might never return, Valara had decided that she had to adapt on her own in this strange new world. She had found a job in the bookstore which was conveniently at the corner. Its dark mood and atmosphere suited her recent demeanor quite well. It also had an immense collection of old books, some of which had a few gems of magical knowledge. In between helping customers, she would help herself to some of her own reading. It was a day like this in her first week on the job that she found herself coming face to face with Raven.

Valara had learned after the near apocalypse several months ago the Gem was still living in the city, under the guise of a hero. She was living in an island off the coast of the city along with four others, heralding themselves as being its protectors. Valara also learned that Raven was the one who had stopped her own father and saved the world from falling victim to Trigon's advances. Even so, she had never expected to bump into her. They had never met in Azarath due to Raven being guarded by the mages for most of her life. Valara remembered that she once had a bit of respect for her, due to their similar backgrounds; both had the legacies of their fathers hanging over their heads

Valara never let on that she knew who Raven really was. She hoped that Raven interpreted her nervousness for the usual adoration the city seemed to give its heroes. Valara smiled anxiously as she sold Raven her book and gave her the standard thank you. Raven raised an eyebrow at the girl's timid nature, but said nothing as she left. Valara had learned later on that the dark sorceress was a regular shopper to the book store, showing up every so often to purchase a book or two. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, they met routinely on many occasions. Valara made an effort to conceal her identity.

When not at work, her time would be occupied working on her special 'project'. She had been working on her little endeavor ever since a few weeks after she had settled onto Earth. During her rummaging through the apartment she had stumbled upon one of Jules's old journal. She couldn't stop from reading it; she knew little of his past and curiosity got the better of her. She found something quite interesting, however; she found a rather detailed account of her father's banishment. Jules had never talked much about what happened to her father; only that he was punished and was sent away. She read the entry over and over again, finding any hint of hope that her father was still alive. The only clue she had to his whereabouts was the dimension they had sent him to, known simply as Acheron Prime.

She began to poor over all the books, searching for anymore references to that place. She knew she was probably wasting her time. Her father was probably long dead and forgotten. But if there was even a chance that he could have survived, it was a risk she was willing to take. She felt that if she was able to find him, he would be able to cure the solitude that seemed to plague her existence. She finally found what she was looking for: the dimensional coordinates to Acheron Prime.

She began doing more research on breaching dimensional barriers and tracking spells. Using her observation of her trip to Earth as a reference, she painstakingly took notes on various means of opening portals. She filled up various notebooks with notations, equations and diagrams. The apartment began resembling her former home, littered with books and paper everywhere while she spent every waking moment working on her plan. She labored as if possessed, which sometimes cut into her sleep time and caused her to be late to work. Any left over money she had went into collecting the necessary materials needed.

All her hard work, all her determination, all led up this moment. She had cleaned up an area of the bedroom in order to draw a transmutation circle. Various inscriptions in various languages decorated the inner and outer edges of the markings. She placed a number of stones evenly around the circle. Their purpose was to control and collect the excessive energy that would leak out from the creation of the portal and refocus it back into the portal, which would reinforce it even further and make it stable. This would replace the need of four people to create it, as was needed from what she read in Jules's notes. She knew that long distance portals such as the one she was trying to create had a knack for falling apart and/or blowing up, whichever came first. She also knew she needed it to stay open as long as possible, in order for the second part of her spell to be able to do its thing. She made one final check on her calculations to make sure everything checked out and that conditions were within optimal parameters.

Valara took a deep breath to try and calm herself down, the giddiness creeping up in her body. That was the last thing she needed. One mistake and she could end up pulling herself into the same fate her father had befallen. She just couldn't help but feel excited. If she was successful, she'd finally meet him. She spent the nigh before trying think of things to say to him, things to ask him. There was a very real possibility that he was already dead, that she wouldn't bring anything back from Acheron, or worse, bring back something that was definitely not her father. She squashed down all her fears and worries as she took another cleansing breath. She raised her hands, resolve now taking over as she began the ritual.

"_Porta Olympus, porta terra, porta barathrum, elementum terra, ventus, incendia, unda, vita quod nex. Tribuo mihi ops patefacio porta ut inconcessus terra. Commodo sino mihi is pre!,_" Valara chanted as she began to pour magical energy into the circle, as her hands glowed an eerie orange hue. The ring reacted instantly to her enchantment; the words inscribed in it began to glow the same color as the ones in her hands. Happy to see a reaction, she continued her chant, closing her eyes to concentrate. She could hear the rustling of sheets of paper as the growing density of magic in the room caused the air to move. The stones she placed activated and started to shine brightly, indicating they were doing their jobs; Valara could feel the flow of magic that tried to stray away being refocused back onto that one spot that she hoped would soon be occupied by a portal.

The circle on the floor was now shining as bright as a floodlight as it was now crackling with energy. She could feel the strain taking hold on her body as she continued on. Valara tried to ignore it; she was close, she just knew it. A few moments later her patience paid off; a large thunder-like boom rocked the room, announcing the tearing of space-time. The blast was so great that Valara lost her footing and fell back first into a pile of books. She struggled to get free and then surveyed her work. The portal was now stabilizing, swirling around with orange energy. She smirked as realized her first phase one of her plan was now complete. Valara immediately went to work on phase two. She knew there was a chance the portal could become unstable any moment now so she had to work fast. Closing her eyes again, she summoned the tracking spell that she had prepared for the occasion. Pulling out a picture of her father she muttered a few words under her breath and held out her hand. A ball of light appeared, hovering above her waiting palm. The ball hovered near the picture as if it was examining it, and then dove headfirst into the vortex.

Valara crossed her fingers as she waited for its return. The realm was probably infinitely large, so there was a large chance it wouldn't find anything. She hoped that luck was in her favor.

XPXPXPXPXPXPXPXPXPXPXP

He was alone.

He didn't know how long he had been there. Was it mere days? Years? Decades? Had it been an eternity? He didn't know. He had lost track of time a long time ago. There was no way to tell time there; there was no rising or setting sun, no moon, not even stars. The sky was always red, like blood. The only light there came from the never ending fires that burned brightly everywhere. It was always bright and always hot; not that the heat affected him anymore.

He remembered the day as if it was yesterday (or maybe it was yesterday). Those fools in the council had the audacity to accuse him of treason and throw him down into the abyss of this hellish place. Not that their accusations were false; he had indeed been planning a safety measure against Trigon. He didn't even plan on using it; he created the option just because he could. He never thought they'd react the way they did. They needed him. If it wasn't for him, they wouldn't have the key they needed to conquer Azarath. They wouldn't have the information they needed on Skath's spawn. They dared to treat his intellect as it was mere trash, just like they did on Azarath.

He thought they were different. They had recruited him and let him have access to whatever project he wanted. He could study and practice and do research to his heart's content. All he needed to do were a few things; watch over the Gem and give them vital info on Azarath. Both he had no qualms with complying with. Their downfall would be their own doing. He had offered them the perfect way to fight back against the Order and they spit in his face. They treated him like a child, too lost in their nonsensical pacifistic philosophy to even care. They betrayed him and demoted him when he spoke too loudly. He was more than eager to get back at them.

In the end, they were just like those buzzards in Azarath. It wasn't his fault he was banished. True, he had been a bit careless in his…unauthorized experiments. True, he hadn't been thorough enough in covering his tracks. He should have been more cautious when it came to the people who kept turning up missing. He was just too caught up in his research. His experiments were highly successful and he couldn't help but accelerate his research. It wasn't his fault he had gotten carried away. And just because of a few absent mages, they excommunicated him from his homeland; those bastards.

He thought the Order would understand the significance of his findings, but instead they saw him as a threat. That had to be it. He was too smart for his own good and now they wished to punish him for his brilliance. It wasn't bad enough that they had tortured him, ripping apart his mind to take away whatever knowledge and secrets he possessed, but they had the audacity to give him their most dreadful punishment. HIM. Xanthus Pyre.

The moment that portal opened, he could feel the heat. Even in his weakened state, he could remember the attributes of Acheron Prime: the fires that engulfed that realm were more of a magical reaction than a chemical one. There was an old tome that stated it was formed by an ancient evil long ago. The tome said that the fire was the result of a million souls being ignited all at once. He didn't believe that rubbish, the affects of the place was well documented. Not only did affect your physical body but it could react with and combust your soul as well. Anyone who didn't have enough protection would be forever tormented, or at least the strong ones would. Anyone with little power in them would be completely consumed, their spiritual energy adding to the already intense fires. Things did not bode well for him.

He felt the effects immediately as he was launched beyond the event horizon into the fiery void. He felt nothing but blind, searing, unadulterated pain. It seemed to devour him, burning his flesh. But it did more than that. He could feel the pain and the intense heat reach all the way to his core. Anguish filled his mind so much he couldn't even think. He screamed in vain for salvation that would never come.

He didn't know when he died. Maybe it was the minute he arrived there. Maybe it was much later. He could never tell. All he knew was pain. He could feel himself being burnt away, slowly but surely. He didn't know how long he could last. Only one thought crept up I his mind amongst the agony that kept him sane: vengeance, on both Azarath and the Order. They both rejected him, both ridiculed him. They threw him away like garbage in a literal incinerator. Vengeance was his only salvation; it consumed him almost as much as the fires did, if not more. Soon, he realized that he no longer felt pain. He realized that the fires of Acheron and the fires of vengeance of his heart were one and the same. The flames no longer caused him pain; in fact, he became one with them.

Once he came to understand what had happened to him, his old curious tendencies rushed forth. He actually absorbed the properties of the inferno. It followed his every command, his every whim. It had changed him. He could feel the power coursing through him; he could feel the heat at his finger tips. He could feel the fury that as just under the skin, waiting to unleash onto his enemies. He couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of it all. They threw him here to die and all they did was make him stronger. He spent his time thinking and contemplating how he would get his revenge. He bided his time, getting stronger with ever moment by just being in the inferno. He tested his new powers often, to get a better understanding of them.

His existence was suddenly interrupted when he came face to face with something strange. A spherical blob of energy abruptly flew into his face, blocking his view. He tried swatting it away, but it merely dodged his efforts. His fury rose as he began to barrage it with wave after wave of fire. Once again, it simply dodged his attacks deftly. Before he could even utter a word, the ball grew and expanded, quickly surrounding him. He bellowed in frustration as he tried to break free, but it was all in vain. He was then disoriented as the sphere sped up, jostling him as it went on his merry way to only a certain girl knew where.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

Valara waited. And waited. Every second brought a mix of both excitement and a sense of disappointment. There was a very large chance she would be waiting a long time. Or that the portal could collapse before the seeking spell would do its job. Or that the barrier that protected her would falter and she would feel the effects of the fire. Or that the spell could accidentally bring something else back; a monster indigenous to the dimension. Or perhaps the charred remains of her father.

Valara shook her head to remove all of her doubts. She would find him. He was a smart, ingenious mage. He would have found a way to survive, just as she had found a way to look for him. And she would. She watched and waited as the portal continued to swirl. She then felt a tug, which meant that the spell was returning. Had she done it? She prepared herself for anything. The barrier was a first wall of defense, but she took no chances as she readied an attack spell. On Azarath there were no use for such things, but she had learned quite a bit since arriving on Earth. She gulped and waited for the spell to return with cargo.

The portal suddenly began to flair again, its outer edge sending out a bolt of orange magic at the shield. The Barrier wavered in the assault as she gasped. That wasn't good. She was more afraid of the destabilizing wormhole than the fact that the only thing keeping her safe at the moment was about to collapse. The portal became more and more erratic as bolts of energy continued to arc. She backed up, unable to calm the temperamental singularity until the room was once again bathed in orange light. She covered her eyes and once again found herself underneath a pile of books, her body thrown from the strength of the discharge.

She coughed from the smoke as she dug herself out. The young sorceress surveyed the area. A charred spot on the floor was all that was left of her portal. The stones were burned to a crisp as well. She sighed and the smoldering remains of her project. It had taken her forever to get the right materials. She didn't think she could recreate everything from scratch again. It was then that she noticed that something, or rather someone was floating several feet above her. She backed up cautiously as she examined the strange figure. He seemed anything but human; tar black skin marred by glowing cracks, crimson red coat, glowing aura. This couldn't be her father, could it? Had she failed?

He (or it) did not seem to notice her presence just yet. He looked disoriented and confused. She feared for her safety, but at the same time she was curious. She wondered who and what he was. She advanced cautiously, taking care not to make any sudden movements. He finally noticed the other occupant in the room and growled. Both his hands and his entire head burst into flames, scaring her. His yellow eyes stared at her, unsure to label her as friend or prey. They stayed like this for what seemed to be an eternity. She finally worked up the nerve to speak, hoping the next few words wouldn't be her last.

"Are you," Valara began to inquire; "Are you Xanthus Pyre?" the being eyed her with a curious glare.

"And what if I'm not?" he asked, speaking for the first time in a long time. "Who dares to ask?"

"Please, I must know," she replied. "My - my name is Valara. Valara Pyre. Xanthus was my father. Is he still down there? Is he still alive?" The ghost floated there for a moment, not saying a word. This couldn't be his little Lara, could it? She was only a baby when he was banished. Had he really been gone that long?

"Lara?" he said in a whisper. The flames on his body were now gone as he examined the girl claiming to be his daughter. He could tell immediately that she had her mother's eyes. She had grown into a fine young woman. Was she the one that freed him? He knew that breaking the dimensional barrier was no small feat.

"Daddy?" she whispered just as quietly. Her hands covered her mouth as she gasped at what her father had now become. "Oh, by Azar, what happened to you?"

"To put it simply, I died," Xanthus replied matter of factly. Her eyes widened in shock over this new revelation.

"I-I'm sorry," she burst out suddenly, tears streaming down her face. "I –If only I had tried sooner! If only I had known earlier, I would have..."

"It's not your fault, Lara," he reassured as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up with her tear filled eyes. "They did this to me. Those pigs in Azarath and the bastards in the Order. They made me like this. I want to thank them, actually." He flexed his hands. "They tried to destroy me but instead gave me a wonderful gift."

"I-I don't understand," she said as she dried her eyes.

"You can't understand yet, my dear," he said with a smirk. "Not yet, at least. Tell me, where are we? Are we on Azarath?"

"No," she answered. "We're on Earth. Azarath was…destroyed by the Order a few months ago."

"Was it?" he pondered. "That's a shame. I wanted the satisfaction of crushing them myself. And what of the prophecy? Has Trigon shown his ugly face yet?"

"The prophecy did occur, but Trigon was vanquished," she responded.

"He what?!" he exclaimed, his head once again bursting into flames. "Trigon fell? By whose hand? Who defeated him?"

"The Gem," she said simply. He couldn't believe it. Trigon's own child defeated him. He stood there for a few moments, unable to speak. Valara wondered if she had done something wrong in telling him. She was then met with his laughter as he couldn't contain his amusement. Just as abruptly as it started, the laughter stopped.

"The irony," he said with a chuckle. "The almighty Trigon the terrible was defeated by his own little brat." He paused as a thought crossed his mind. "I always knew she had potential, actually. She may be of some used to me yet." He then focused his sights on his daughter, who looked like she was as scared as a mouse. "Valara, my dear."

"Ye-Yes, father?" Valara said as calmly as she could, despite her obvious mix of excitement and jumpiness.

"Why did you bring me back?" he asked. He eyed her carefully, floating around her slowly.

"Because…" she stopped, not sure how to explain it. "Because I thought if you were here, life wouldn't be so bad. No understood me back home. They never tried to understand me. I hoped that if anyone could understand me, it would be you, father."

"That I do, my dear Valara," Xanthus said. "Tell me, do you trust me?"

"Yes, father," Valara replied without hesitation. "Even as you are now. You're all that I have left." The ghost nodded.

"And would you do anything for me?" he asked. Valara nodded silently. She couldn't see him floating behind her. A small column of smoke extended from both sides of his fist. It solidified, forming a large staff. The top of the staff flared into a flaming blade, completing the scythe. "Would you even…die for me?" Before she could answer she felt a sudden intense jab of pain pierce her back and run through her chest. She looked down to find a flaming blade sticking out of her. She wailed as the pain coursed through her body. The world around her melted away and everything turned to black.

VPXPVPXPVPXPVPXPVPXPVP

"Valara," a voice called out to her. "Wake up, my dear." She moaned softly as the world came flooding back around her. "It's alright, my sweet. It should take some time to adjust."

"Adjust to what, father?" the sorceress asked. "I don't understand. What…" Her question was cut short as she looked down and saw… herself. He body lay there, unmoving on the ground. Wait, below? She looked at her feet to confirm that she was indeed floating several feet in the air. A look at her hands confirmed her semi-translucent state. "No…" she whispered as her current state now sank in her mind.

"Welcome to the land of the dead," Xanthus stated with a grin. Her reply was a loud, haunting scream.


	22. Chapter 21: Clash

**Author's Notes: Ladies and Gentlemen, I have returned! After a month and a half of nothing, I bring you another chapter of "Haunted Destiny". I thank you all who have been keeping track. I'm sorry to make you wait. A number of reasons were at fault for the hiatus: School finals, writers block and just sheer procrastination played a big part. I'd like to let all of you know that I will finish this story and there WILL be at least one sequel. That I promise you. I can't promise a very steady schedule of releases but hopefully another chapter shall be upon you in a few weeks. My block is now gone and I know for sure how to write the final chapters. **

**I'd like to thank my new good buddy Hidden Author. He helped me a lot to get out of my crummy writer's block. I hope you are reading his stories, because he truly is an awesome fanfic writer. I also like to thank everyone who wrote me a review. I know I haven't been replying to those. I promise to reply to each and every future one for now on. I'm pleased that I'm almost at the 500 mark for reviews. I also think this story could hit 100,000 words. :D It's all because of you that I can write this. Your words of encouragement have kept me going, especially when I had little confidence. Thank you all for reviewing.**

**And now, on with the show!**

* * *

Haunted Destiny Chapter 21: Clash

Waiting was always the hardest part.

Jazz Fenton sighed as she looked out the window of the Common room. The view of the unfamiliar city was tinted by the recognizable green glow of the Fenton anti-ghost shield which now protected the tower. Her mind's current state was mirrored by the now cloudy sky. Her thoughts were in disarray, her emotions fogged up her normally analytical mind. She was lost and confused.

She thought she'd be used to this by now. This always happened to her whenever her brother went out on patrol or faced off against a new enemy. The same emotions filled her mind, causing her stomach to churn incessantly. The guilt over lying to her parents. She had done it so many times; it was second nature to her. She was always the one who covered Danny's tracks, even when he didn't want it. She never wanted her parents to worry about him any more then they had too. That was her job as an older sister.

Then there was the helplessness. This was one of the more powerful feelings. She wished she was out there helping. She knew there wasn't anything in particular she could have done to help on the field. Danny and her parents were the experienced hunters; just merely helped with research on occasion. True, she could fend off smaller ghosts pretty well, but there were times that all she could do is stay out of the way and let them handle it. All she could do now is give them support from afar.

The last one was the one that caused her stomach to churn: worry. She knew she shouldn't; she had faith in her brother and his abilities. She had faith in even her parents, despite their eccentric nature. And she knew the Titans were experts at fighting evil. Even then, she couldn't help feel like something bad was going to happen. She had just got her brother back after so many months of self-seclusion on his part. She couldn't fathom loosing him again, or her parents. She had a sense of foreboding, a nagging feeling that wouldn't go away, that something terrible was coming to pass. Her bad feeling was intensified as she watched the unusual meteor show that rained down on the city. She could still see the plumes of smoke coming from the downtown area. She held back the urge to call them, to make sure they were all ok; she didn't want to distract them from anything. They could have well been in the middle of battle for all she knew.

Her need for a distraction finally taking over, she turned on the TV, hoping to find a way to ease her mind temporarily. Of course, part of her was hoping to catch a glimpse of what was going on out there.

"This is Jump City Action News! I'm Geoff Johns reporting live," a news anchor said on screen. "Our top story is the mysterious meteor shower that seemed to appear of the blue in downtown Jump City today. Witnesses describe a scene of hell and brimstone raining down from the heavens. Luckily, thanks to a tip from the Teen Titans, the area in question was evacuated before there were any casualties. There are reports that the Titans are locked in a fierce battle with an unknown assailant who may be responsible for this freak incident. We are not clear whether this has any connection to the recent string of supernatural attacks that seemed to be targeted at our young heroes in the past few days. We'll be the first to report any developments as it happens…"

Jazz sighed once again. It looked like the news was as clueless as she was at the moment. She couldn't decide if it was a good thing or a bad thing. She stared out the window once again, worry rising by the second.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Jump City had seen better days.

The Sky above the illustrious metropolis of Jump City was overcast by dark clouds, which still swirled overhead menacingly. It was intermittently brightened by the flashes of lightning and the silence of the once loud and boisterous downtown area was interrupted by the sound of roaring thunder. Pillars of smoke could be seen rising to the clouds, either signifying the location of a meteor or of the occasional not so lucky abandoned vehicle that was foolish enough to cross paths with the falling fireballs of death. Ash fall had already begun to blanket the destroyed streets, as if mimicking a bizarre winter scene of flaming devastation.

It was in these surroundings that the would-be combatants faced each other. On one side were the city's young heroes, known as the Teen Titans. Their weapons were at the ready and their senses were sharp, honed by many years of battle. The most tense of the five was Raven, who eyed their adversaries most warily. She held her ground against both the fiery gaze of the ghost who had revealed himself as Xanthus Pyre and his daughter, Valara. Their intentions for her were still unclear and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know at all. She glanced over at the Titans' current allies. Maddie and Jack Fenton, self –proclaimed ghost hunters, were both at the ready, each brandishing an anti-ghost weapon. They both seemed eager to fight but at the same time, somber. They had an inkling of the strength of this new foe and they knew they had to tread lightly. Like the others, their eyebrows began to bead with sweat, though Raven wasn't sure if it was because of anxiety or if it was the intense heat emanating from their antagonist.

The one that had the most of Raven's attention was that of Danny Phantom, who was looking worse for wear. His face was clammy and pale, taking an almost bluish hue. His body racked with momentary bouts cold, which caused him to physically tremble. She could feel he was trying his best to ignore his sudden ailment; she could feel the determination bleed out of him. He wanted to help, wanted to protect his family from the upcoming battle. Raven admired his resolve, but was equally concerned with his current state.

Xanthus Pyre smiled as he and his daughter glared at the mortals who dared to stand in his way. The others were of little importance; they had power, but none of them could even come close to stopping him. No, he focused on only two of them: Raven, the spawn of his former master and Danny Phantom, the curious creature that walked on both planes of existence. What unusual creatures they both were. If Raven was strong enough to defeat her own father, then his plans could still come into fruition. He would still have to tread lightly against her, however.

Phantom was another intriguing element. His dual status as both living and ghost piqued the former sorcerer's interest. Not only was he interested in how he even came into existence, but the power he saw him display the day before made him a very fascinating specimen. He would be a great asset, if he were to be persuaded to join their side. He saw a certain fire in the halfa's eyes that could easily be exploited for his own gain. Though Xanthus knew Phantom had resisted Valara's attempts to turn him in the past, he doubted the ghost boy could resist his method of recruitment.

"Raven of Azarath," he spoke up, breaking the silence between both sides and eyeing the young sorceress almost hungrily. "So good to see you again. My, have you grown."

"Again?" Raven asked incredulously. "I've never met you before."

"Oh, but we have, my dear," he replied with a knowing grin. "Of course, you were probably too young to remember. It was a long time ago. I must say, you are the spitting image of your mother." His insinuation startled Raven, though she tried to hide it.

"You're from Azarath?" she asked in as monotone a tone as she could. The ghost's grin grew even wider as if he could see through her supposed cool nature.

"Originally, yes," he confirmed. "Of course, that also was a long time ago. You could say we share a common background, in more ways than one."

"What do you want," she finally asked. Raven stood her ground, glaring at the specter.

"I simply want what belongs to me. I thought my last servant made that all too clear," the fiery apparition replied. "Give that back and I may leave your precious city alone. I make no promises, of course."

"If it really is your book, that must mean you are part of the order," Raven deduced. "So that means…"

"So that means I'm a traitor to Azarath?" he finished. "Aren't you the perceptive one. But I'm not here to reminisce about that retched place. No, that time will come later, as will your part in the matter. And you will have a part in the matter. For now I have a few more pressing things to deal with. First is the return of my book and second…" He lifted his arm and pointed a thin, bony finger directly ad Phantom. "The second has to do with that boy over there."

"M-me?" the halfa stuttered, partially do to his overactive ghost sense and partially due to the sudden focus on himself. He could feel not only the fiery glare of Xanthus on him but the looks and stares from four of the five titans as well as his parents. He tried to reinforce his voice with as much confidence and conviction he could muster. "What does a freak like you want with me?" Danny was trying his best to subdue his ghost sense, which was still reacting to Xanthus' presence. Or rather, he was trying to lesson the effects; in between the bursts of cold his powers were giving off, he could feel it. The intense heat seemed to emanate from fiery specter. It flared up especially when Xanthus eyed him, as he was doing now. Danny was actually glad his powers were acting up, because it actually served to buffer him from the blistering temperature.

"You and I, my boy have something in common," Xanthus said with a smirk. "We have one thing that separates us from mere mortals: power. I see much potential in you. You could be one of the most powerful ghosts in the afterlife." Danny froze at his choice of words. He couldn't possibly know about his future, could he? A shiver went down his spine as the twisted image of his older self flashed in his mind. He kept his face straight as Xanthus continued his monologue. "But there is one thing that holds you back; the very same thing that separates you from other ghosts. I can smell the stench of it all the way from here; that disgusting odor of life. It clings to you like the stench on a corpse.

"You're wasting your time, associating with the living. They're weak. You can try to protect them all you want but in the end, they all die. You really shouldn't bother, my boy. I'd be doing you a huge favor if I removed that certain… weakness of yours." Danny fists shook as the words echoed in his ears. The Titans and the Fentons all had looks of confusion written on their faces as they tried to decipher the cryptic conversation.

"Thanks but no thanks," Danny finally spoke. "That 'weakness' of mine is my greatest strength. I already know what happens if I lost that. So sorry, no deal."

"Unfortunately for you, that wasn't a request," Xanthus replied. "You will join me, one way or another, just like the others. They refused me as well, so I had to persuade them by other means." As he spoke a column of smoke appeared before him. He grabbed it and as he did, it solidified into a staff. A flame erupted from the end, transforming into a flaming blade, completing his scythe. "Now, then; shall we begin? I'm eager to see first hand this strength of yours."

"Not to be a bearer of bad news, but we got you outnumbered," Cyborg commented, interrupting the conversation. Xanthus's response was a loud cackle that caused them all to jolt.

"Apparently, they don't teach you how to count here," he said with a grin. The former sorcerer turned ghost lifted his hand and pointed it towards the group. He snapped his fingers, which sparked brightly. "I believe its time to awaken my pets, wouldn't you agree, my dear Valara?"

"I do think its time to have some fun," his daughter concurred, mirroring his smile. The ground suddenly began to quake, knocking anyone who wasn't floating off balance. Each crater that littered the street began to spew fire and soot into the air, as if each were a small volcano. Just as abruptly as the rumbling started, it stopped, allowing the heroes to right themselves and catch their wits. Beast Boy was the first one to react as his jaw dropped at their new problem: four legged creatures, the size of mountain lions, began appearing from each of the craters. Like their master, each of them seemed to be made out of volcanic rock, as black as night. An ominous orange glow could be seen from the cracks that covered their bodies as well as from their malicious eyes. A mane of fire erupted from their heads and necks, billowing in the wind. Each and every one of them growled in unison as the Titans found themselves surrounded and completely outnumbered.

"Dude, aren't you always saying taunting the bad guy is a bad idea?" Beast Boy berated, pointing a finger at Cyborg. The mechanized Titans could only gulp in response as their new foes began to circle around them, just waiting for the order from their master to attack.

"Now, where were we?" Xanthus asked as his head and hands burst into a bright orange flame.

"Titans, GO!" Robin called out, sending his team into action. Starfire and Raven immediately took to the air, prepared to support their friends from above. Robin extended his Bo staff, igniting it in green ectoplasm as he jumped into the fray. Beast Boy took the form of a nimble wolf, dodging an incoming attack and readying one of his own. Cyborg stood his ground, firing at anything that moved with his sonic canon. The Fentons followed suit, each with an ecto-canon in each had. That left only Danny, who was now faced off against both Xanthus and Valara Pyre. His fists flared with emerald energy as he shook off the chill that went through his body. He took a firm stance, ready to take on anything the ghost could throw at him.

"Valara, my dear," Xanthus said turning towards his daughter. "Why don't you play with the Gem for a bit? Phantom and I have a few things to discuss." She looked into the sky at her prey, and then glanced back at her father. Her playful demeanor disappeared for a moment, replaced by solemn look.

"Don't be too rough with him, Daddy," Valara requested. He father eyed Phantom carefully.

"Can't make any promises, my dear," was his only reply. Valara nodded as she shot like a bullet towards Raven.

"Now, Phantom," Xanthus began as he pointed a finger towards the ghost boy. Danny, not waiting for Xanthus to continue, rocketed towards the flaming specter, with his fists still flaring. The halfa pulled back and let a punch fly, hoping to connect with the ghost, instead finding nothing but smoke and air. "I wasn't finished." Danny heard a voice say as a knee connected with his gut, sending the halfa flying. "Ah, the impatience of youth." Xanthus sighed as he followed.

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"HAA!" Starfire cried out as she let loose a volley of starbolts at the firebeasts below. It only served to push them back, as they easily dodged her attacks. Any starbolt that did make its mark did little to damage them. "These adversaries prove t be very resilient, are they not?" she asked Raven, who was doing her part as well. Using her powers, she created waves of dark energy, which pushed the firebeasts away from the boys, lightening their load. She was about to make another pass when she suddenly felt a tingle at the back of her neck. She immediately dodged to the left, narrowly averting a high speed attack from Valara. The vixen slowed to a stop, then pouted.

"Awww, I seem to have missed," she declared playfully. "Let's try that again." The heels of her boots suddenly lit as she seemed to just disappear in a trail of fire.

"Where did she go?" Raven thought to herself as she looked around cautiously. A shark pain in her back was her answer as Valara flashed into view, a flaming dagger in hand. She slashed Raven in the back, sending the sorceress in a downward spiral.

"I will not allow you to hurt my friends!" Starfire screamed as she began firing at the nimble ghost, who simply dodged each and every blast. The red-headed Titan's eyes glowed a fierce green as she let loose a pair of eyebeams, which seemed to miss by a mile. Valara once again disappeared from view, which only served to irritate Starfire even more.

"You're pretty," a disembodied voice stated in mock jealousy. "We're gonna have to do something about that." Pain seared through Starfire's exposed midsection as Valara's fist connected. Starfire's cry caused Raven to break out of her reverie, as well as her fall. She flew to the aid of her comrade, ignoring the pain that coursed through her back.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she cried out as her black magic flew like a bolt of lightning. Sensing it, Valara simply grinned and once again dodged it, letting Starfire fall in the process. Raven redirected her energy, as it transformed into a hand that caught her friend. She floated next to Starfire as the alien girl regained her bearings.

"Her manner of battle is most unclean!" Starfire hissed as she held her injured belly. Though her skin was resistant due to her alien physiology, the pain was still unbearable. Raven debated whether or not it would be wise to heal her friend while in the middle of combat. Valara didn't give any time to decide however.

"How touching," Valara sneered. "Don't expect me to feel any sympathy for you, however. No one shall stand in between me and MY ghost boy!" She held up her hand, with her palm point up. A ball of fire suddenly appeared within it. A half dozen followed soon after, floating around her menacingly. Raven, realizing what was going to happen next, stretched out her hand, calling forth a shield to protect both her and her injured teammate. The fireballs shot forward, heading straight for her as she predicted. They made contact with her shield; cause a large explosion, sending her and Starfire back towards solid ground. The shield cushioned their abrupt landing as she sighed at the near miss. The smoke cleared, only to reveal dozens more of the fireballs floating above. With a simple gesture, Valara sent them on their way, raining down upon the heroes.

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Meanwhile the rest of the Titans weren't having much luck on their own.

"Is it me or are we getting our butts whooped?" Beast Boy lamented as he dodged another attack. He had been transforming into any and every animal he had in his arsenal, trying to put a dent in their enemies, with little success. Any wounds he did inflict simply disappeared.

"You're telling me," Cyborg agreed. He fired another sonic canon and launched a barrage of mini-missiles. He managed to score direct hits, but any damage caused seemed to heal itself. "They keep regenerating. Lousy good for nothing…!"

"YAH!" Robin cried as he flipped over one of the firebeasts. He used his staff to vault himself even higher into the air. He used his additional air time to let loose a salvo of birdarangs and exploding discs. Even his cryo-discs had no effect, as the ice just simply melted before it could immobilize his foe. He landed right as six of the creatures surrounded him, growling in triumph. Robin grunted in frustration as he looked for an opening to attack.

"BANZAI!" a very energetic Jack Fenton cried as his ecto-bazooka's blazed, knocking over enemies left and right. Maddie launched herself from her husband's shoulders, joining in the discharging of weapons fire. Robin took advantage of the opening and charged forward, his staff swinging. Instead of connecting, however, it was caught in the maw of one of the flaming animals, who lunged to the side, sending the boy wonder flying. His trajectory sent him head first into Beast Boy and Cyborg, causing them all to land in a jumbled heap of limbs. Disentangling themselves, they once again squared off against their numerous enemies.

"Hope you have an idea for this, Rob" Cyborg griped. "Or else we're all gonna end up with a deep tan!"

"I'm working on it," Robin yelled back in protest as he dodged another flaming claw that was aimed for his head. He knew Cyborg had a point: if the tables didn't turn anytime soon, they wouldn't be able to hold off the onslaught for any longer.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Danny was up a several feet in the air before he finally managed to level his ascent. He struggled to clear his vision as he gained his bearings. He growled under his breath in frustration; he had been knocked around quite a number of times this week and the wounds to his pride were growing by the second. He ran the previous moments through his mind. He had never seen a ghost move quite that fast. One moment Xanthus was in his sights and the next he was thrown halfway across downtown. He didn't even register it on his ghost sense, although that was still on the fritz.

"Where was I, since I was so rudely interrupted," he heard a voice from behind him. He turned to find Xanthus floating there with his armed crossed. "Though I do admire the cunning of your attack, I should warn you it would be foolish to cross me, boy."

"What is it with me and fruit loops?" Danny groaned under his breath. "One creepy ghost wanting to draft me is more than enough for my taste. You better learn to take no for an answer."

"No ghost has ever been able to defy me and you shall be no different," Xanthus warned. "Although it seems you want to learn that the hard way." Readying his scythe, he lunged at Phantom. Danny flipped backwards, watching as the blade sliced a mere few inches under him. While in mid-flip, Danny launched a wave of ecto-blasts, hoping to catch the ghost off guard. Each and every one of his shots hit nothing but air, however.

Danny righted himself and then began to focus, trying to locate his now invisible enemy. "Come on, stupid thing, work!" he thought to himself, trying to get a bead on Xanthus with his ghost sense. "He's…"

"Right here," Xanthus replied. Phantom gasped as Xanthus suddenly appeared in front of him. He clotheslined the halfa with the wooden part of his scythe, pinning him to the wall of a nearby building.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Phantom," the fiery ghost said as Danny struggled under his grip. "Where is it? Where was that fire I saw burning in you eyes a mere day ago? I was hoping to see how strong you are, but it seems you're holding back, hmmm?" He grinned widely as a thought occurred to him. "Maybe you need some motivation? Maybe one of those living that you care so much about. That seemed to work the last time." Danny's eyes narrowed as Xanthus's implication set in.

"Stay away from them!" he cried, charging up both hands and letting loose. Xanthus was sent flying, allowing Danny to breath once again.

"Now that's more like it, boy. Show me all you've got!" Xanthus exclaimed as she shot forward once again.

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**Author's Notes: Evil, aren't I?? Will Danny be able to defeat this new foe? Will Raven and Star survive the onslaught from Valara? Will Jazz ever see her family again?**

**Find out next chapter.**


	23. Chapter 22: Stalemate

**Author's Notes: Hmm, can it be? Another chapter and so soon? He didn't do it again, did he? Yes he did!**

**I couldn't leave my fans hanging like that, so here it is: the end of this fight and let me tell you, it's an end that I hope leaves you with goosebumps. Let me know what you think and feel free to talk in the forums about the repercussions. **

**And now, on with the story!**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 22: Stalemate

"HAA!" Phantom screamed as he launched another blow. Since Xanthus Pyre made that thinly veiled threat against his family, Danny's attacks seemed to intensify and quicken. This punch was the first of many, which came in rapid succession at the flaming adversary. Each punch and each kick was lit with ectoplasmic energy and surprisingly enough, each one connected. It was either because Danny's moves were now faster or if the enemy's movements were purposefully slower. The halfa deduced it was the latter: Xanthus wore a knowing sneer the entire skirmish, as he took all of Danny's attacks, not even moving back one millimeter. It was as if he was merely toying with him, which only served to enrage Danny even more.

Phantom's barrage increased in tempo yet again, as he tried desperately to gain some ground. It was then he noticed a bit too late an acrid smell and he was jolted by the pain emanating from his fists. "Gah!" he grunted as he pulled back and looked at his hands: both were smoking, the ectoplasm long since gone. He could see that his gloves were now blackened, especially his knuckles, and it burned like hello. He cautiously flexed his seared fingers, wincing from the pain the movement caused. His attacks couldn't be that ineffective, could they? He didn't have time to dwell on the answer because Xanthus was suddenly in front of him, hand stretched out and pointing towards his prey.

"No time for daydreaming," he sneered as his hand began to glow menacingly. A ball of fire erupted from his palm, sending the ghost boy flying into a nearby building. Smoke and debris flew everywhere from the impact, which turned into an explosion as the fireball detonated. All the glass windows on that floor and the ones above and below shattered from the blast, sending glass raining down upon the street below. Danny was sent flying through the other side of the building at top speed, unable to control his trajectory. He crashed through the fifth floor of an office building sending more debris into the air.

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Valara waited as the smoke cleared from her latest attack. She hoped she didn't completely destroy her prey. She wanted to play a bit more with the Gem and her ally. Her father still wanted Raven alive for whatever reason. Valara had other plans, but she didn't dare to go against him. The view of the street cleared, revealing a path of destruction that her assault had caused. There were no signs of Raven or her friend. There was, however, a neat circular patch of sidewalk that was unusually untouched by the devastation; a sign that the sorceress was able to escape unharmed.

"Here birdie," Valara called out coyly, surveying the area. "Time to get your wings clipped." She floated around cautiously, waiting for a surprise attack from her fellow Azarian. Meanwhile on the ground, a dark aura crept slowly onto damaged SUV. Once the vehicle was completely surrounded, it bolted into the air, heading straight for Valara. She dodged it deftly as it sailed past her. She flipped without breaking a sweat as a second car careened towards her as well. Both cars, having missed their mark, stopped dead in their tracks, then came around for a second pas, as if to sandwich her in between. Simply smiling, she held out her hands, willing into being her fiery daggers. With a swift motion, both vehicles exploded before ever reaching her.

Unbeknownst to her, a black shadow appeared on the wall of the builder she hovered close to. It quickly grew in size, its silhouette forming into the recognizable shape of a bird. It spread its wings revealing Starfire, her righteous fury waiting to be satisfied. Finally catching the flaming vixen off guard, he landed a punch sending her flying. She landed into an abandoned bus, detonating it on impact.

The shadow changed shape again, its wings turning into a fluttering cape and its head transforming into the hooded head of Raven. She surveyed their handiwork while Starfire whooped. "Success!" Starfire called out in triumph. "We have achieved in catching her off guard."

"Why do I get the feeling we only got her angry?" Raven monotoned exasperatingly. Valara rose from the charred remains of the motor vehicle, the look of pure rage painted on her face.

"You BITCH!" she bellowed as the glow in her eyes intensified. She lunged forth, he hands blazing orange towards them both. Raven quickly threw up another shield, grunting as their powers clashed. Raven chanted her signature magical phrase, which caused the tendrils on power to form along the edge of her shield. They leapt to capture ghost, but she simply jumped back before they could entangle her. Raven reached out a hand, from which a large black claw of magic appeared, sending the ghost girl on the defensive. Starfire joined in, flying off to the side and firing a number of starbolts while doing so.

Valara was definitely not pleased. Nothing was more infuriating than prey that fought back. Crossing her arms with her palms facing out, she formed two fireballs and sent them speeding towards the female titans.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Xanthus floated leisurely towards the building where he deduced Phantom had been blasted to. The boy had shown much potential in their fight so far. He couldn't wait to add him to his list of minions. Phantom as one of his thralls would easily aid him in his ambitions.

"I think that's enough resting," he said as he readied himself to attack once again. Holding his scythe, he swung it towards the building. As he swung, a large fiery blade was formed from the arc of the swing and shot into the structure, spinning as it did so. Several more were formed and followed their brethren towards Phantom.

Meanwhile, Danny coughed as consciousness returned to him. To say he was hurt was a major understatement. His body ached and burned all over from the blast that he had taken in the chest. It hurt to breathe, which made coughing unbearable. His suit was singed in various places and completely burned off in others. He struggled to get back on his feet, trying to ignore the pain that coursed through his body. He had to do something and quickly. This ghost was more powerful than anything he'd face before. He tried to push away the fear and doubt that began to creep up into his mind. Using a nearby wall for support, he closed his eyes and tried to track down his adversary. He felt him immediately, hovering outside Danny's current hiding spot. He wasn't moving in, which meant he was waiting for Danny to come out. This also meant…

Danny ducked just as one of the blades of fire came through diagonally, cutting through wall and ceiling in its wake. Danny flew backwards at top speed as another two came into view. Turning intangible, he traversed through several rooms before finally exiting the back of the building. The blades followed suit, slicing through the walls as if they were nothing. The building, unable to take any more punishment, began to collapse under its own weight, causing smoke to billow up into the overcast sky.

Danny floated there, trying to catch his breath when a half dozen more of the sickle-like constructs came slicing through the smoke that come from the remains of the building. All of Danny's training and experience of the last two years came to the test as he dodged, bobbed and weaved, avoiding all of them, though barely. It wasn't over though, as all of them, as soon as they missed him began to act like boomerangs; they all made U-turns and arced towards him once again.

Ignoring his pain and his exhaustion, Phantom once again evaded them. His moves were slowing down, however, as the blades came closer and closer with each pass. Soon, Phantom's body was riddled with cuts and slashes as exhaustion made him more sluggish and the blades became more accurate. Each time they grazed him, he could feel their searing heat penetrating his skin, adding to the pain that already coursed through him. Finding an opening, he let himself fall, diving head first into the ground below while intangible. The blades fallowed suit, crashing into the ground. They detonated; causing a blast that shattered more glass and caused sent abandoned vehicles flying.

Danny appeared several feet away, gasping for air raggedly. He had somehow managed to avoid the brunt of the explosion, but still took some damage. He could feel blood and ectoplasm trickling down his arm from where one of the blades came too close. The pain was unbearable; it was as if the cuts were burning from the inside out. His vision blurred slightly as he tried to stay conscious. Suddenly, his ghost sense flared up, bringing him back to an alert state. He barely managed to erect a dome shield as Xanthus's scythe came flying down, smashing into it.

"Impressive," Xanthus commented. "No ghost has ever lasted this long against me. Now I see what my daughter sees in you." He smirked in a sinister way. "I wonder how much more you can take." Danny struggled not to let his knees buckle as he could feel the pressure the scythe had on his shield. Sparks began to fly as the blade pressed on. Danny struggled to pour more and more power into the shield, hoping it could last the onslaught. The blade began glowing brighter in turn, eager for the young halfa's blood. They stood like this for what seemed like an eternity.

Phantom's eyes widened in shock as he realized that the scythe was cutting through his shield. No, cutting wasn't the right word; burning through it was more accurate. The area the point of the weapon made contact with the barrier turned from the normal green of his shield's ectoplasm to a fiery orange glow. Its sharp edge began digging into the shield, as it was the tooth of a predator, sinking into its captured quarry. Danny did all he could to strengthen his defense, but it was no use; the scythe's blade glowed even brighter now, slowly but surely penetrating the ghost shield.

Danny knew he only had less than a few seconds to escape. His timing had to be perfect or else he would end up skewed. He dropped his shield, the only thing that separated him from Xanthus. At the same moment, he jumped back, putting as much distance from each other as possible. He landed in a crouch, catching his breath once again Xanthus's scythe, no longer obstructed, plunged into the now vacant ground hungrily. Not finding its intended prey, it glowed even brighter than before. The ground began to rumble under Danny's feet, which was definitely not a good sign. A crack formed in the pavement from where it was impaled. A flash of light appeared as a blade if fire emanated from the crack, traveling though the ground as it was the fin of a shark under water. It headed straight for Danny, who was too exhausted to even dodge. He crossed his hands over his face, as if to block a punch and gritted his teeth as he was enveloped by light.

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The Titans and the Fentons were losing…badly. Their enemy's numbers failed to diminish as they continued to battle. Each time they seemed to defeat one, it simply reformed, damaging the egos and moral of our heroes. That was not the only thing damaged, however. The streets resembled those of some war torn country. The City's protectors weren't fairing any better. All Robin could do now was dodge and evade, for both his staff and sword were long since destroyed. His cape was gone, discarded earlier after of the beasts had set it on fire. His back bore a gash that throbbed with pain even now. He would definitely need some medical attention later on.

Cyborg was just as banged up. His chassis was covered in dents and scorch marks. Somehow one of the things had actually scratched his armor, creating fissures all over his body that sparked with every movement he made. The metallic teen continued to fire his sonic cannon wildly, hoping he would be able to hit something, but mostly to keep the fire beasts at bay. Beast boy, meanwhile, was currently in the form of a squirrel, using his small size to evade the paws and fiery claws of his attackers. His tail was currently smoldering from where he got to close and he was now running for dear life. Transforming back into his human form, he began to pat his still smoking behind.

"Dude, we are so losing!" he bemoaned. "Tell me you have a plan."

"Just one," Robin replied, holding up a number of his exploding discs. He nodded to Cyborg. "You got the sonic?"

"Only if you got the boom," Cyborg said, comprehending Robin's intent. They both faced off against the monsters, a look of determination in their eyes. Robin charged first, launching himself into the air and letting fly three discs. Cyborg meanwhile took careful aim and fired his sonic cannon in the same direction. Just as the discs reached their enemies, the sonic cannon arrived, detonating them. The combined power of both the explosion and Cyborg's sonic attack cause a shockwave that blasted the beasts back considerably. Jack whistled in awe of their 'Sonic Boom' attack, a favorite move for Robin and Cyborg.

"Booyeah!" Cyborg hooted in success. "Take that, you poor excuse for a nightlight!"

"All we did was buy us a little time," Robin interrupted, pointing the direction of their adversaries. The animals were already regrouping and regenerating from the last assault. "We have to find a way of stopping them for good." He was interrupted by a shriek from above. Looking up he saw that Starfire was falling very rapidly and showed no signs of stopping. Robin took immediate action, firing a line from his grapple gun at a nearby building and using it to launch himself in an intercept course. He managed to grab her midair and then used another grapple-line to land to safety.

"Star!" he called out to the still woozy girl. "What happened? Where's Raven?"

"Friend Raven is still locked in battle with the female apparition," she explained while holding on to her head. "She was able to catch me by surprise and attack from behind." A look above confirmed her story, as flashes of both bright and dark could be seen.

"Sooooo, if we're all here," Beast Boy began, "and Raven's up there, where's Phantom?" As if on cue, a rather large blast erupted from a building two blocks down from them, taking everyone by surprise. Danny Phantom could be seen being flung by the force of the discharge into the streets. They watched as his body skidded to a stop on top of the asphalt, bouncing painfully a few times along the way. His battered and burned body stayed deathly still for a few moments, until finally he stirred slowly.

"Looks like you've reached your limits, boy," he heard Xanthus say. "You should have heeded my previous offer. You've only brought this on yourself. Give up now and I'll spare you ay more torment." Danny was now struggling to his feet, his left arm hanging limply. He gritted his teeth from the stabbing pain and looked Xanthus straight in the eye.

"The answer is still no," Danny replied simply. "I – I won't back down."

"Hmmm, I see," the evil ghost sighed. "Looks like I have to do it after all. Kill them, I mean." He pointed towards the other heroes who were now several feet behind Danny, enthralled with his confrontation. "Like I said before, they're only holding you back. You'll be more open to discussion if they were out of the picture."

As he spoke, the ground around Pyre suddenly was engulfed in flames. The fire began to swirl and circle around him. "This technique of mine was originally intended to burn down the city of Azarath. Since that's already been done, this city will do well as a substitute." The fire continued orbit him, as it began to take shape. Soon a head could be seen forming, along with eyes and sharp fangs. Before long the fire completed its transformation to that of a blazing dragon of flames. Xanthus held out his hand towards the heroes and the dragon obeyed its master, its mouth agape in anticipation as it burst forward.

Time seemed to slow to a standstill as Danny watched the being of fire close the gap between them. He couldn't run even if he wanted to; his body could barely move. He had to protect them somehow. He knew a shield would be worthless, if his previous attempts were any indication. He'd have to hit this attack with everything he had. This meant he had only one option. He took as big of a breath as he could muster, and let loose with his attack of last resort: the ghostly wail. Even in his current state, he was able to focus his blast into a tight wave that was aimed to intercept the dragon. He couldn't afford to have energy wasted and spill out all over the place, like the day before or his rookie days when he had first received this power. All of it was needed to make sure his family would come to no harm.

The collision was like a nuclear bomb had gone off. The resulting shockwave shattered the untouched windows of every office building within a ten block radius. The Titans and the Fentons were nearly blown away for the second time in days. Danny almost toppled over, but somehow managed to stand his ground. He continued to pour as much as he could into his wail.

The two attacks wrestled for dominance, pushing at each other, though neither side gained any ground. Xanthus seemed to be not putting much into it all, which was a large contrast to Danny. They dueled like this for only a few moments, but it felt like an eternity. Danny was able to conjure one final burst of energy and used it to strengthen his onslaught. The wave intensified, slamming into the dragon with so much force that it finally began to disintegrate. The creature seemed to growl one last time before it faded away under the deluge of the ghostly wail. Danny finally stopped and began to cough hoarsely, a sign his throat had taken too much stress. He bent over, his hands on his knees as the damage took its toll on his body.

He didn't hear the screams or warnings until it was too late. All he felt was heat increase dramatically and a sharp jab in his back. He looked down to find the blade of Xanthus's scythe point out of his chest. His eyes widened more in shock than in pain, but that was about to change.

"This may hurt a little," he heard and then suddenly his world was filled with a white hot agonizing agony. All the damage he took during the battle was nothing like this. It began from the wound and worked his way through his entire body, bathing his body from the inside out with an intense heat. He couldn't think, he couldn't move; there was nothing but pain. It filled his senses, save for the howling he heard, which he'd later realize came from himself.

"This is only a fraction of the pain I had to endure when I was at that place," Xanthus commented. "I'm injecting my ectoplasm into you. Quite dreadful, isn't it? Soon you'll share the same hatred, the same vengeance, the same power as me. Quite an honor, if I do say so myself." Danny's reply was another howl of pain as the anguish intensified. Robin swore under his breath, breaking out of the shock of the situation. Phantom may have been a ghost but no one deserved this.

"Titans, GO!" he cried, hoping he could stop this travesty from occurring. Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire obeyed his command, heading towards the two ghosts. Their advancement was stopped by the fire beasts, who hindered their rescue attempt. They could only watch in horror as the ghost boy continued to writhe and scream.

Raven was still battling Valara above the city skyline. Neither side showed any signs of backing down. Raven was about to launch another attack when she stopped in midair, clutching her chest. The pain she felt was overwhelming, nothing she had ever experienced before. She quickly fought to close off her emphatic senses, cutting off the waves of anguish that assaulted her. It was then that she heard the almost inhuman scream and knew exactly where it came from.

"Danny!" she cried in dread and concern. She shot like a rocket, ignoring Valara and trying desperately to reach there in time. Valara stopped, also recognizing the scream, finding it all too familiar. She followed the sorceress, a single tear streaming down her face.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

He failed. That's all he could think of amidst his suffering. If only he was stronger. If only he was faster. If only…the thoughts of doubt clouded his mind. Soon it would all be over. Soon he would be completely engulfed in this sea of fire and vengeance. Soon he would no longer be himself; soon he would be more like Him. The familiar grin once again appeared, taunting him, tormenting his with his laugh.

It was then that he felt it; one final spot that hadn't been touched. A dot of coolness in the middle of the fires that burned around him. He desperately tried to grab it, focusing on it as if it was his last hope, which it very well may have been. If he could hold on to that for only a little while, there was still a chance. He could feel the coolness turn to cold, growing more as he focused on that one spot. It was then where he realized what it was: his ghost sense. The frigid feeling he had felt a few mere hours ago was still there, resisting the heat that threatened to consume it. With new determination, Danny blocked out everything around him and dove in head first into the awaiting blue cloud.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Xanthus knew something was wrong. A conversion normally never took this long, even when he had first done it to his daughter. The boy was resisting even now, fighting his will. He gritted his teeth, clearly annoyed. This was ridiculous. He had to end this now so he could move on to getting his book back. He focused on pouring more energy into his scythe until he came to the shocking revelation: there was no longer any screaming. Looking down, he saw Phantom's eyes looking into the sky, but instead of their normal green hue, they were filled with a bright blue light. Suddenly Phantom's hand grabbed the staff part of the weapon with a vice like grip. Xanthus, feeling a sudden pang of hesitation, tugged on the weapon to gain some distance between them, but it would not budge. He then saw it: a growing sheet of ice began to creep up the scythe, catching him completely off guard.

Phantom's body began to glow the same blue hue that his eyes did. He gasped, sending a cloud of mist into the air. His eyes focused their gaze on Xanthus now, the glow only intensifying. There was a flash and suddenly the fire ghost was now clutching his face. His head was no longer engulfed in flames as he backed away.

Raven stopped a distance away when the pain stopped and soon was replaced by something else. She didn't know what it was but it was growing in strength. She could feel the uncontrollable raw power building up and showing no signs of wavering. The glow coming from Danny was brightening just as quickly, confirming her fears: his powers were out of control. Valara sped past her heading straight for her father. Raven knew something bad was about to happen and she had only precious seconds to do something about it.

The blast enveloped the streets of Jump City with blinding light, sparing nothing in its wake. Even behind the hastily made shield of blackness that now protected her friends, Raven squinted from the ferocity of the explosion. She struggled to hold back the cold that wanted to engulf them. Then, just as quickly as it began, it dissipated. She waited a moment before finally letting the shield drop. Everyone looked around to survey their newly changed surroundings. A sheet of ice and snow covered everything, in stark contrast to the view of hell that was there just moments ago. The creatures that Xanthus had conjured up were now merely statures of rock and ice. Beast Boy cautiously poked one of them, which caused it to collapse, leaving a pile of icy remains.

Raven and the others turned their attention to Phantom as he slowly floated to the ground. The glow which had surrounded him was now gone, as well as the one in his eyes. He fell to the ground on his knees with a vacant look on his face. Two rings of light appeared around his waist and made their way up and down his body. The others looked on curiously, but Raven realized what was happening. A collective gasp and a single 'dude' could be heard from behind her; Danny Phantom was now gone and in his place appeared the limp form of Danny Fenton as he collapsed face first into the ground.

"Danny…" Raven whispered under her breath. Her body moved as if on its own, first slowly then breaking into a short sprint towards the fallen teen. "DANNY!"

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**Author's notes: And I said I was evil the last time. Nice cliffy, don't you think? This thing just basically wrote itself. I'm glad I didn't wait to write it later on. I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks to all who reviewed my last chapter. Thanks to Hidden Author for his awesome advise. Thanks also to Me the Anon One, if she is still reading this story, for being my sensei.**

** See you next time, true believers!!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron  
**


	24. Chapter 23: Growing Pains

**Author's Notes: Ladies and Gents, I bring you the next chapter. Sorry for the wait in between chapters. I seem to have gotten a nice break so hopefully I'll be able to churn these out a bit more quickly for the next few chapters.**

**A couple of big milestones have or will happen (always been a sucker for these things). First is the fact I've hit over five hundred reviews. I thank you for all who have taken the time to write. I'll get to all of you momentarily (sorry for the delay). Second milestone will hopefully happen as of this chapter: the story has hit one hundred thousand words. I'm actually quite surprised I haven't just given up already, to be quite honest with you. Like I said in the notes last chapter, I shall finish this story. I wouldn't leave it hanging like that. I hope that you guys will continue to support me and I hope my story continues to entertain in the future.**

**Speaking of reviews, I read a nice one the other day ****by Nubecula about monomyths. I've never actually heard of the term up until now and I suggest anyone who loves a good super hero story Google it. In brief, it's basically the anatomy of hero myths. I'm actually quite surprised how comic books and such still mirror many of the same themes that the hero stories of long ago do. I didn't even realize there was a formula to it or that I was subconsciously picking up on me and using it in my story. I guess I've always been a fan of that kind of story: I collect comic books on and off and some of my favorite shows are cartoons, especially the good vs. evil kind where the hero saves the day and kicks evil in the bud. **

**Heh. Look at that, I'm rambling. Maybe I'm padding to hit the one hundred thousand mark? Nah, couldn't be. (Heh heh) Any who enjoy this chapter next one should come in the next couple of days. I hope you enjoy.**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 23: Growing Pains

An eerie silence seemed to envelope the streets, as no one could even utter a single word at what had happened just moments before. A mix of shock, disbelief and confusion washed over the Titans and Jack and Maddie Fenton as the last few seconds played back in each and every one of their minds. This new discovery especially took its toll on the two elder Fentons, as their minds couldn't quite comprehend what had just transpired in front of them: the elusive ghost they've chased and had threatened to dissect time and time again was in actuality their son, Danny. The concept seemed totally absurd and impossible, yet if it wasn't for the fact they had seen him transform in front of their very eyes, they would have never believed it. The shock was so great that a certain green titan decided now was a good time to faint, the disbelief of the whole event overwhelming his senses.

Maddie wasn't sure if it was true, even when the evidence clearly showed it was so. Her mind raced through all the times her and her husband attacked and pursued the ghost that always seemed to slip their grasp. All those times she had pulled the trigger of her ecto-guns aiming at Phantom, she was actually aiming at her son. What kind of mother was she to attack her own child? Of course there was no way of her to have known, but it that didn't help ease the guilt that deluged her senses. Chilled by the sight of her son just lying there, she backed away slowly until she hit something that felt like a wall. Looking back, she saw that she instead collided with her husband, Jack. His jaw was set and his face was grim and unmoving. She couldn't quite make out the emotions that must have coursed through his mind, though she was sure they were similar to hers. All she could see was the confusion mirrored in his eyes; the same confusion that was wreaking havoc on her sanity.

"Please don't die," Raven found herself muttering under her breath as she quickly made her way over to Danny's still form. She had known him for only a few days but she somehow felt connected to him; something maybe even deeper than the bonds she had formed while with the Titans. So much of him, his past, his feelings, were so similar to hers. Though she had found some things in common with each of her teammates, Danny seemed like someone who could truly understand her. She wouldn't know what she would do if his life was suddenly and tragically cut short.

After what seemed like an eternity she finally reached him. Kneeling down next to him, she placed a glowing hand over his chest hoping to find any signs of life. She put all her effort into focusing and trying to find any indication that he was still with the living, so to speak. Her lips suddenly released a large sigh of relief as she found what she was looking for. It was slow and almost unnoticeable but it was still there: his beating heart. He was still alive! Her joy was short lived and once again turned into concern as she could feel that he wasn't out of the woods yet. What little life he had left was fading and fast. Not only that but she could feel a chilling cold that was slowly overtaking his body. She pulled her hand back as the arctic aura almost seemed to lash out at her. She looked up at the still shocked faces of her comrades.

"We need to get him to the tower!" she cried out at them. They collectively blinked as their reverie was finally broken. "I know this is a big shock to everyone, but if we don't get him help soon, he's going to…" The words lodged themselves in her throat, not wanting to escape her lips. She tried once more to continue, "He's going to die. We don't have anytime to waste." He words had the effect she wanted, as it reached everyone and finished clearing their minds of disorientation. The time for action was now. They all scrambled to do something useful. Jack was already halfway towards the Fenton Ghost Assault Vehicle before anyone even registered he was on the move. Unable to cope with the sight of her fallen son, Maddie went off to help her husband ready the GAV for transport. As she went she gave one final look back, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Cyborg," Robin called, taking charge of the situation. "Help the Fentons flip their RV back onto its wheels. Then I need you to get Beast Boy and go with the Fentons and Raven to the tower. Starfire and I will fly on ahead." Cyborg nodded before following the Fentons to lend a helping hand. Starfire was now standing next to Raven, watching solemnly as Raven tried to continue her treatment of Danny's injuries.

"Will Danny be ok?" the alien girl asked, he distrust of the boy long forgotten. Starfire's compassion was now in full force, as worry for a fallen comrade welled up in her eyes.

"I'm not sure," Raven answered truthfully, trying hard not to show any emotion in her voice as she waved her glowing hand over his motionless body. She didn't want to think of what happened if they didn't bring him back to the tower in time. Or if they could even save him. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts. She looked up at the sound of the Fenton's vehicle becoming upright again. Seeing this as a sign of their departure, she encased Danny in her dark aura. She shuddered slightly at the growing chill that she could feel even through her magic. Trying her best to ignore it, she lifted his body gently and joined Cyborg at the RV.

"Let's go," Robin said to Starfire. She nodded sadly as she took a hold of Robin and lifted off, heading straight for home.

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Jazz found herself sighing once again as another minute went by. There was still no word from her parents or Danny. The worry and uncertainty was threatening to drive her crazy. She was now pacing around the couch, glancing every so often at the communicator they had left her. Should she call? Would she even get an answer if she did? For all she knew all their lifeless bodies could be strewn across the city landscape. She shook her head, trying to rid her mind of such morbid thoughts. They were fine. They had to be. They were with superheroes, after all. They had to be alright, right?

She suddenly heard a beeping noise coming from a nearby console. Taking an interest and glad for the distraction, she followed the beeping to a console embedded in the wall. A screen showed that two Titans had just entered through the roof entrance. She also noted that someone was at the garage entrance as well. They were finally back! She was overwhelmed with a feeling of happiness and relief. One thing did nag her, though; she hadn't heard a word from them since they left. Her parents hadn't even called in to let her know they were coming back. Something was wrong. Her elation turned to dread as thoughts of what might have happened flooded her mind. She made a dash for the elevator, fearing the worst may have happened.

After what seemed like an eternity the elevator car finally made it to the underground level. She burst through the doors, scanning the garage for any signs of her family. The worried teen spotted the RV, which had just come to a stop, and ran towards it hastily. Jazz saw the door slide open as she sprinted. She skidded to a halt and covered her mouth as she saw him; her brother's unmoving form being held afloat by an aura of black energy. Her mind panicked as she wondered how injured he was. Or was he in fact alive. It only dawned seconds later that it wasn't Danny Phantom she was staring at, but of her brother Danny Fenton, which only meant one thing.

Jazz turned to glance towards her parents and immediately regretted doing so. It was as if a thousand unasked questions assaulted her all at once from just her mother's gaze. They knew Danny's secret. Jazz averted her eyes, unable to meet their stares and unable to answer their questions at the moment. She stepped aside quietly; letting Raven and Cyborg (who was carrying an unconscious Beast Boy over his shoulder) pass and make their way to the elevator she had just exited. They were followed by Jazz's parents, who were just as silent and solemn. She trailed behind them, tears welling up in her eyes.

The ride up the elevator, just as was the ride to the tower, was somberly quiet. No one was sure what to say to each other over the events that had taken place and the revelations revealed as a result. The only thing that kept their minds off it was their duty to help the fallen boy in any way they could. The moment the elevator reached its destination, the Titans sprung into action. Raven and Cyborg headed straight to the medical bay, meeting Robin and Starfire along the way. Everyone knew their job, having done this more often than they'd like to admit. Monitors flickered to life, giving out a chorus of whirs and beeps. Raven placed the boy on one of their medical beds as Cyborg began to calibrate his equipment for use. Starfire had a first aid kit ready and was already attending to the burns of the slumbering Beast Boy, who still hadn't woken up. Robin held back to supervise, confident in his team's skill. The Fenton's were astonished at how efficient and fast the Titans were as they tried their best to aid their son.

"You knew," Jazz heard coming from her mother. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Jazz nodded in reply anyway, still unable to meet her mother's intent look. The Titans, though engrossed in their duties, were listening in intently. They were just as curious as the parents were in the story behind the boy turned phantom.

"I've known a little bit after Danny became Phantom two years ago," Jazz explained. "Sam and Tucker know, too." Maddie soaked this in and chose her next question carefully.

"How?" Maddie asked. "How did it happen? Is he…dead?"

"He's not dead, not that I can tell. I wasn't there myself when it happened," Jazz began, surprised at her own calmness. "Danny told me after I let him know I knew. Do you remember how the ghost portal didn't work at first two years ago?" Maddie and Jack nodded in recognition. They spent so long working on that ghost portal after years of determination and failed prototypes.

"We always wondered how it suddenly started working again," Jack stated.

"You can thank Danny for that," Jazz continued. "You see, there was an accident. Danny was able to figure out how to get it going, but he was inside the portal when it activated." Jazz purposely left out the fact the on switch was on the inside of the portal itself in order to lessen the weight of guilt, but guilt was still felt as both parent's eyes widen with apprehension.

"All that concentrated ectoplasm bombarding the human body all at once!?" Jack exclaimed. "Suffering spooks! And he lived through it?!" Jazz could hear the conflict in his voice: the curious scientist inside him went over the probability of someone living after being exposed to that much ectoplasm; while the loving caring father in him was distraught that it was his son that when through it all.

"Like I said before, he's not dead," Jazz reassured. "He's just different now, that's all. He's a half-ghost, if you want to give it a term. He's still Danny, he just has ghost powers."

"My God, Jack we did this to him," Maddie cried in dread. "And then we hunted him like some sort of animal. What kind of parents are we?"

"No, no, no!" Jazz said, waving here hands. "No, please don't think that! Danny never blamed you guys for the accident. It just happened. And he never hated you for hunting Phantom. He knew you didn't know any better. I've told him a thousand times to tell you guys, to make it easier for him but you know how stubborn he is. At first I think he was afraid of how you guys would react if you did find out but he eventually realized you guys would accept him for who he was. I think he's been keeping it a secret now because…" Jazz looked down and took time to collect herself. Tears began to flow from her eyes as she continued. "Because he wanted to protect us. He didn't want you to worry about him. Danny…Danny has been having a rough time recently. He's been trying so hard to protect us from ghosts all by himself that sometimes he couldn't use any common sense. He's been so afraid that he might loose us…" She let the sentence end there. The room was silent once again save for some usual noises from the medical equipment. Danny's parents had thoughtful expressions on their faces, pondering over their daughter's words.

"Who knew," Jack said, his old energy returning in his voice. "He was into the family business after all and we didn't even know it." Maddie smiled weakly at her husbands attempt to break the ice. She found the courage to look at her son. The worry that seemed to overwhelm her moments ago was lessening now and was slowly being replaced with some pride. Looking back, most of his behavior from the past two years made a lot more sense: the late nights, the blatant lies, the injuries he thought she never saw. In a sense she was relieved that it wasn't something like drugs or gangs, but in another sense this was a thousand times worse. He spent day after day risking his life to protect them. And he was good, if their lack of business before this trip was any indication. Though what he did was dangerous and probably reckless, she couldn't help but feel a swell of pride for her son, the superhero.

"Now's not the time dwell on whose fault was what," Jazz said, breaking everyone's train of thought. "Right now we need to focus on getting Danny back on his feet."

"You're right, Jazzy pants!" Jack boomed, a determined look on his face. "Danny needs our help!" Jazz was happy to see her dad's energy return, but was slightly embarrassed by his use of her embarrassing pet name. Shaking it off, she turned to Cyborg, who was still looking over the various meters. "How is he, Cy?" Cyborg turned to her with a firm yet somewhat baffled look.

"I wish I knew," he admitted. "To tell you the truth, in all honesty, he should be...well, dead. His heart is beating but it's very slow. And there's some brain activity. The main thing that has me confused is his core body temp." he pointed towards the temperature gauge onscreen and Jazz saw exactly what he meant. "It's low, I mean really low. It's already below freezing. And it isn't showing any signs of slowing down at all. He's sapping the heat right out of the room." He pointed at the puffs of mist wafting from his own mouth as emphasis. "If we don't get him back to normal temps soon, he'll eventually freeze over the whole tower."

A sneeze took everyone by surprise as Beast Boy finally awoke from his slumber. Rubbing his arms, he shivered visibly. "Who turned up the AC? It's freezing in here." He glanced over to Danny. "I had a weird dream that Danny was Phantom and we fought this wickedly awesome fire spitting ghost dude and then the city was covered and ice and…" he stopped his animated description as each and every person, save the unconscious Danny, staring at him. "That wasn't a dream, was it?" Everyone nodded. "You mean he's really…?" Everyone nodded again. "Dude…Hey!" The last part was a result of Raven smacking the changling in the back of the head.

"Now isn't the time," she said muttered darkly. He shut his mouth and nodded quickly.

"What exactly happened out there?" Jazz asked. "What happened to Danny?" The Titans and Jack and Maddie began to explain what had occurred during the life threatening battle that took place hours prior. Jazz listened intently, trying to find any clue to her brother's current condition. The final few moments of the battle made Jazz uncomfortable. After they were all finished, her mind went over everything that happened analytically.

"Wasn't he feeling chilly even before the fight?" Beast Boy asked innocently. Raven was about to smack him until she realized he was right.

"He told me his ghost sense was acting up all of the sudden, because of that ghost showing up," Jazz confirmed. "I've never seen it act like that, though."

"He mentioned that to us as well," Maddie chimed in. "I never suspected ghosts had a ghost sense."

"I don't think they normally do," Jazz said. "It's one of Danny's more unique powers. I actually have a theory on why he has one to begin with." Jazz prepped herself to give a somewhat long explanation. "Ectoplasm has a natural low temperature compared to normal matter. And most people who are sensitive to ghosts and the paranormal like psychics and mediums tend to feel paranormal events as a chill. I've always figured that Danny's ghost sense is sort of an extension of that. Because of the high concentration of ectoplasm in his body, he's become sort of an antenna for other ghosts. Whenever a ghost is nearby, he senses it normally as a chill and a puff of mist from his mouth."

"That makes as much sense as anything else we've encountered," Robin said for the first time since they reached the Tower. "So this ghost was pretty powerful if it affected him like it did."

"I think it was more than the power," Maddie speculated. "The readings that Xanthus ghost was giving was off the charts and highly unstable. I've never such high-energy ectoplasm before."

"That explains his ghost sense acting up, somewhat," Jazz concluded. "But it still doesn't explain why his temperature is still dropping. The ghost isn't anywhere near us anymore. And the blast you described. There has to be something more to this."

"Maybe he just has a bad cold?" Beast Boy joked nervously. He quickly regretted it as most of the room was once again staring him down. All except Jazz, who was struck by a bolt of inspiration.

"That's it!" she exclaimed. "Beast Boy, you're a genius!"

"He is?" the other Titans asked in unison.

"I am?" Beast Boy asked with an equal level of disbelief.

"It's more than just his ghost sense acting up," she clarified. "It's an allergic reaction!"

"Jazz, honey, you're not making any sense," Maddie said.

"It makes perfect sense once you think about it," Jazz said. "Mom, what kind of reaction would that fire-based ectoplasm have on regular ectoplasm?"

"Well, like I said before, it acts almost akin to radiation," Maddie explained. "It would basically burn regular ectoplasm. It'd be deteriorative in nature, literally burning a ghost."

"But it wouldn't just be the same for Danny," Jazz concluded. "Because he isn't just a normal ghost. He's half ghost. So his human side, more specifically his immune system, would try to compensate. His body would already know how to cool down due to his ghost half."

"Combating extreme heat wit extreme cold," Maddie continued. "Jazz, that's brilliant! The extreme exposure caused his body to try and equalize the temperature."

"But he doesn't know how to stop," Jazz deduced. "His body wouldn't know how to reverse the effects. His body is literally attacking itself."

"So how shall we make Danny no longer chilly?" Starfire asked, worry dripping in her voice.

"He has to do it," Raven spoke up. "I can feel it; he's afraid. His emotions are why his powers are out of control. He needs to calm down or he won't be able to control himself."

"That means we can't help him," Jazz sighed. "Not without waking him up. If he ever wakes up."

"I didn't say it was impossible," Raven interrupted. "I should be able to enter his mind and try to reach him."

"You sure you want to do that, Rae?" Cyborg asked with concern. "Your trip inside Robin's mind wasn't exactly a cake walk, remember?"

"I know the risks," Raven said monotonously. "But if we do nothing, he's going to die. Or we'll all freeze to death. Which ever comes first."

"You sure you want to do this, Raven," Robin asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not going to order you to do anything that dangerous."

"I want to do this," she replied simply. He nodded, and then turned towards Cyborg. "Get the isolation room ready. It should provide a buffer for the cold before it spreads any further." Cyborg nodded and went off to start his task. Raven turned to go to her room in the mean time to prepare for her second trip into the young halfa's mind. Before she could leave, she felt a hand grasp her arm. Looking up, she found herself looking into the sincere eyes of Jack Fenton.

"Please, if there is anything you can do for my son," he said. Another hand was placed on his, this time belonging to Maddie. She had those same pleading eyes; the ones of a truly desperate parent trying to save their child's life. Raven nodded and though she wouldn't show it, she was moved by the parent's plea.

"I'll do all that I can," she assured.

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By the time Raven returned from her room, all preparations were already complete. Danny had been moved to the isolation room, which Titans used for surgeries or to keep teammates in quarantine in case of infection. A large window separated it from the main medical, allowing them to monitor Danny and Raven in case anything went wrong. Danny's cold front had already progressed rapidly; frost covered the glass and walls and it was actually snowing, an unusual feat to say the least. Raven was dressed for the occasion, wearing the thermal resistant version of her uniform she wore when the Titans visited the Arctic earlier in the year.

"You still sure you want to do this, Raven?" Cyborg asked one final time. "You stay in there long enough and you'll end up a Popsicle."

"I'll manage," she answered back. Nodding, Cyborg pressed a button which released the lock that kept the iso-room secure. The door opened with a slight creak, letting a cold gust of wind into the medical bay. Raven entered quickly as Cyborg closed the door behind her. Even in thermal suit, she was trembling from the intense cold. She had a hunch that like Xanthus's fire, it was more than just normal cold and ice. She floated slowly towards Danny, who was looking worse by the minute. His face was almost completely blue now and ice littered his hair. The only sign that he was alive were the intermittent puffs of blue mist that emanated from his mouth every so often.

Cyborg's words still rang in her ears; she had to work fast or else she would succumb to the cold. She sat Indian style mid air, chanting under breath her usual mantra "Azarath Metrion Zinthos". A black aura surrounded her body as she chanted and soon she found herself once again diving into the mind of Danny Phantom.

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The screams of agony that currently haunted the halls of the Pyre domain would have been considered normal enough, if they had come from a ghost that dared crossed either one of its inhabitants. Unfortunately, this was not the case now, as the current cries of pain were currently coming from the master of the domain himself. Xanthus Pyre still clutched his face as he did when he and his daughter were still back in Jump City. Valara had the foresight of teleporting her and her father away from the scene, just barely a few seconds before the large blast of cold that had enveloped the area. Valara had felt it literally lick the heels of her boots and she was glad she wasn't there when it hit full force; if her father's current condition was any indications.

"That brat!" he finally said in between ragged growls. "He dare harm me?! When I'm finished with him, I'll make him wish he was already dead!" He howled again. In truth, though he was in much pain, it was his ego which had been wounded the most. He was probably the most powerful ghost in existence and he was repelled by a little whelp who wasn't even completely dead. Where had he gotten that power? Just a few moments prior he had the ghost boy practically begging for mercy, writhing in pain. He couldn't comprehend how easily and how swiftly the tables had turned.

"Daddy, I think you need to let me have a look at your face," Valara suggested. She tried to place a hand on her father's shoulder, but had it violently shoved away.

"Don't touch me!" he cried violently, smacking her out of the way. She landed in a heap on the ground. "This is your fault! I should have never listened to you about that boy. Once I have rejuvenated, I'll think of the proper punishment to give you."

"But Daddy, I…" she began, trying to prove her innocence.

"Silence!" the malevolent ghost commanded, hushing her. "I'll deal with you later." And with that, he stormed out towards his personal chambers, leaving Valara to her thoughts.

The young ghost contemplated her future. Her father never had to punish anyone twice, which meant things looked bleak for her. He has never made any idle threats in the past and she was sure he wasn't going to make any exceptions.

She sighed at her plight and then began to think about Danny. Her Danny. She was actually a little happy he was able to escape from her father's 'recruitment tactic'. She had wanted to turn Phantom to their side herself, but she had little choice in the matter. Xanthus's way reminded her too much of the day that she had died. He had performed the same technique on her, ripping out her soul and adding his ectoplasm to make her like him. He saw it as a blessing, but she saw it as a curse. She felt even lonelier now dead then she did alive.

Danny had done what no other ghost ever dreamed of doing: standing up to her father and actually winning. No had ever dared to defy him, not without paying a heavy price. Danny did so without even thinking twice and the fact that he dealt Xanthus a blow surprised her even more. She couldn't deny that the whole turn of events actually excited her; if she were still alive; her heart would have been racing. It just made her want him all the more.

An idea formed in her mind on her next course of action. She was not going to go down quietly. Danny would be hers, even if it meant going against her father. She would need to see a certain someone first. Her resolve now concrete, she left the room, ready to put her plan in motion.

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**Author's Notes: Special thanks once again to all who reviewed my previous chapters, especially the last one, which was the most reviewed chapter ever. I saw a lot of new reviewers and lots of old regulars. Thanks a bunch for your kind words. Special thanks to my buddy Hidden Author for his continued support. He's a great guy to bounce ideas off of.**

**What kind of plan is Valara hatching? Will Raven survive a second dive into Danny's subconscious? What kind of state of mind is he in anyway? Only one way to find out: Stay tuned for the next chapter!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	25. Chapter 24: Coldfront

**Author's Notes: Here comes next chappie! What do we have here? Some mind exploration, some scheming from Valara and some good news at the end.**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 24: Coldfront

So Cold…why was it so cold?

Danny was huddled into a ball, shivering from the endless and unrelenting cold that surrounded him. That very cold seemed to sap his strength away, making him feel weaker and weaker with every moment. He could barely move, not that he wanted to. He felt himself float weightlessly along the …wait, where was he anyway? His eyes opened tiredly. He found himself staring into a void of nothing but blue mist surrounding him, sucking the very life out of him.

How did he get here anyway? He couldn't quite remember; his memory was as cloudy as the mist that clouded his vision. He knew he needed to remember something, he just wasn't sure what. He concentrated as hard as he could with as much as his diminishing strength could muster until they finally came to him. He instantly regretted even wanting to remember what came before his mind's eye: visions of pain, hopelessness and despair. He was in a fight, a fight he was losing badly. He could feel every blow as if he were living it all over again. He didn't want to see it, and yet the images kept coming. His hands clasped his head as he saw and felt himself being beaten and burned over and over again He screamed, begging for it to stop.

And just like that, it was over. The intense heat was replaced by the now familiar cold. He remembered why he didn't want to remember. He had fought to protect his family against a seemingly unstoppable foe. When all hope seemed lost and the pain was unbearable, he had found this place. He didn't know exactly where this was, but it was better than the heat he had been battling before. Or was it? Though the chill seemed to be an ally to him before, it wasn't as appealing as it was before. He shivered again, as he became weaker and weaker under the onslaught. His arms and legs were loosing feeling, becoming numb and succumbing to the chilling mist.

Occasionally he could hear voices. They seemed so far away and muffled, barely reaching him. Sometimes he could make out who it was; sometimes it was his mother, with a sad tone to her voice. She called out his name, telling him it was alright. Sometimes it was his sister Jazz who called out to him. Even his father told him that he should wake up and come back to them. Wake up? He was already awake. Why were they so far away? And why was it so cold??

He closed his eyes again, feeling fatigued. It would be ok if her just rested for a second, wasn't it? Like a seductress, arctic-induced slumber enticed him, beckoning him to give in and just sleep. It was all over, wasn't it? He didn't have to fight anymore. He could just sleep…

"Danny!" he heard being called out. This new voice was definitely louder than the first ones were. It caught his attention almost immediately. "Danny!" he heard again, this time even clearer than the last. He knew this voice. Something was so familiar about it, but he couldn't quite place it. What did it want, anyway? He was so close to falling asleep. It called his name again, and this time he recognized the voice.

"Raven?" he asked in disbelief as the sorceress came into view. Her entire body was covered in black energy, so her features were slightly blurred out, but he could definitely make out her figure. He also thought he saw a smile creep slightly on her face the moment she saw him, but it could have been just a trick of the light. She reached out and grabbed Danny by the shoulders and by doing so caused her magic to expand until both were surrounded by an onyx sphere. Danny could feel the cold dissipate almost instantly, causing some of his drowsiness to fade along with it. Now a bit more conscious, Danny could see she was slightly fatigued.

"How did you get here?" he asked curiously. "Ok, that was the wrong question to ask. Where is here anyway?"

"We're in your mind again," Raven replied. "You're unconscious inside the tower right now. Do you remember what happened?"

"I was fighting Xanthus and...wait, unconscious?" he asked. "Does that mean I lost? What about Mom and Dad? Are they alright?"

"They're fine, as is everyone else," she reassured, "And you didn't exactly lose the fight."

"I didn't exactly win the fight if I'm unconscious either," he countered. "What happened to me? And why is it so damn chilly!"

"Something did happen," she continued reluctantly. "While you were fighting him, he accidentally triggered a new power in you. The blast that resulted from it drove Xanthus and Valara away."

"New power?" he asked cautiously. He turned his face away from her. "How much damage did I cause?" The question took Raven by surprise, though she should have known he'd ask.

"It doesn't matter," Raven replied. He shook his head.

"Yes it does matter," he countered. "If I caused a blast powerful enough to drive a ghost that strong away, then it must have been pretty powerful." She realized his tone wasn't of a person who was marveling at his own abilities; quite the opposite. What little emotion that Danny emoted in his solemn voice was that of disgrace. "I lost control of it, didn't I?"

"Danny..." she began to protest

"Just answer me!" he shouted suddenly. His fists were clenched shut, shaking violently with strong emotion. Raven was taken aback with his sudden outburst. She nodded her head, affirming what he already knew.

"There is more," she continued. "Your powers are still out of control. It's not only affecting your mind here, but it's causing you to freeze everything around you, including the tower. We're not sure how long we can hold it back."

"Damn," he swore under his breath. "The irony is what's pissing me off. I train so hard to be strong enough to protect them from anything the ghosts throw at me and it's my own power that puts them in danger. What kind of hero am I?"

"Danny, you have to calm down," she advised. She could feel the cold outside become stronger the more distressed Danny got.

"How can I stay calm?" he asked, his voice flaring. "This is all my fault. This is twice in a row I've put them in danger. Twice that I've lost control. No matter all I try, they still end up getting hurt. Why do I have stupid powers in the first place?" He punched the inside of the shield, causing it to shudder. Raven bent over, feeling the blow transfer to her. She had to get his attention and fast or else she wouldn't be able to survive much more of this. The icy storm outside was becoming to strong for her to handle. She did the only thing she could do: she grabbed him by the shirt and decked him. The punch had the desired affect: Danny clutched his now sore cheek, looking at Raven in pure shock.

"Now that I have your attention," Raven said sarcastically. "We don't have time for this, Danny. There is more to being a hero than just having the power. You need to control as well, which is what we need right now. You need to get control of your powers."

"Wha-What if I can't?" he replied, his voice shaking. "What if I'm not strong enough? What if I can't control it? If I can't control myself?"

"You have to control it," Raven said, "Or else you'll die and freeze everyone along with you." She could see the weight of responsibility weigh down on his shoulders. "Listen, I never said it would be easy. But it has to be done. Everyone out there, they all believe you can do it. Your parents, Jazz. Even…I believe in you, Danny. We're all worried sick about you. I can help you but ultimately it up to you."

Raven watched as her words seeped into him. His face changed from despair to a look of determination. "How do we do this?" he said after a few moments.

"First thing you need to do is to calm down," she began. "Your powers are out of control because of your emotions. Once your emotions are in check, then control will follow. They are a part of you, not the other way around."

"Right, gotcha. Calm down," he said to himself with semi-reassurance. "I can do that, I think."

"Just sit down and close your eyes," Raven instructed. "And try to relax." Danny did as he was told, sitting next to Raven who was already in sitting Indian style. He closed his eyes. "Take deep, cleansing breaths. Imagine something or someone comforting and calm. Try and focus on that." Danny began to breathe deeply, his eyes furrowing as he tried to find something to focus on. After a few moments Raven could se his shoulders relax slightly.

Raven closed her yes, meditating along with Danny. She began to chant her incantation, which Danny imitated She could already feel the cold subsiding, as she continued to monitor it as well as her shield just in case the chill decided to worsen. She doubted she'd need to strengthen her shield, however. She believed that Danny could get himself under control.

She faltered slightly as she thought that again. She trusted him. Trust wasn't something that Raven gave away all that freely. Her nature was to be cautious, to be distant and to trust no one. That was something she had reaffirmed after certain betrayals the Titans suffered a few years ago. So for her to trust Danny, who she'd only met a few days ago, said something important. She just didn't know what. Or did she?

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"How long have they been in there?" a worried green changeling asked as he continued to stare into the isolation room, which was doing an impression of a snow globe. A few inches of snow had already collected on the floor, as well as on the head and shoulders of the still floating Raven.

"Five minutes more than when you asked the last time, BB," Cyborg replied, slightly annoyed.

"Hey, I can't help it if I'm worried!" Beast Boy shot back; shivering despite the fact he had an overcoat on. The Titans had managed to find their old arctic gear, along with a few spares, which they had lent to the Fentons. Unfortunately, the cold still bit at them, nipping them even through layers of insulation.

"We're all worried, Beast Boy," Robin chimed in. "We just have to have faith in Raven."

"I do hope Raven and Danny are well," Starfire said warily. "This cold is most unforgiving and we are on the outside. I do not wish to know how cold it is inside."

Meanwhile, the Fentons were huddled together in the corner, hoping that staying together would help. Maddie and Jazz were holding each other while Jack embraced them both, using his body as a blanket and shield for his wife and daughter. "I hope Danny makes it ok," Maddie said to herself.

"Of course he'll be ok!" Jack replied, having overheard his wife. "Danny is a Fenton through and through. I little cold won't stop him." Maddie smiled at Jack's boasting. She shivered, despite her husband's large mass protecting her.

"Dad is right," Jazz chimed in. "Danny will definitely pull through. He has to."

"Wait a sec, we have something," Cyborg exclaimed suddenly. "It stopped."

"What stopped?" Jazz said, breaking free from her father's protective hold. She walked over next to Cyborg as he looked over his readings.

"The temperature drop. Its completely stopped," he clarified. "It's staying steady at minus five below Fahrenheit."

"That's a good thing, right?" she asked hopefully. He parents were soon at her side, hope welling up in their faces.

"Not exactly sure," Cyborg answered hesitantly. "Could mean whatever Raven is doing is working. Could also mean the freezing stopped because he stopped. We still need to wait and see." As he spoke the panel beeped and flashed red. He turned towards it and smiled. "And we didn't wait long. His temps are rising." The response to this news was a loud, boisterous whoop from Jack who had his arms high in the air. The others in the room chorused along with him: Starfire was giggling and did a loop in the air and Beast Boy, as a seal, was clapping and honking. Robin simply smiled and Maddie and Jazz were in tears.

"That is most glorious news!" Starfire cheered.

"He's not out of the woods, yet," Cyborg interrupted. "Once it gets warm enough to be near him, we have to bandage him up and make sure his cuts didn't get infected. Once we do that…" He was interrupted as he noticed Raven coming to inside the isolation room. They watched as she phased through the window and nearly collapsed in a heap.

"Whoa, we got you," Robin said as he caught her mid fall. "Are you alright, Raven?"

"Just tired," she managed to say. Nodding, the boy wonder helped to a bed to rest. Instead of staying on the bed, however, her body began to rise up as she slept.

"Is that normal?" Maddie asked cautiously. Even as a ghost hunter, this bordered on the unusual.

"It's just a healing trance," Robin assured. "She should back to normal in a few hours." He turned towards everyone else. "You heard Cy. We need to get ready to treat Danny's wounds. Ready another bed." Everyone nodded in confirmation as they scurried in response to their leader's orders.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

Valara flew through the Ghost Zone away from her father's island. Her search was not going to be a long one. If she knew her target, he'd be where he always was. It was only a few moments she spotted her destination: a floating prison. Smiling, she touched down at the entrance. The two guards standing watch saluted to her and allowed her to enter. Like so many of her father's thralls, they had runes and other glowing markings tattooed on their bodies.

"Valara," a voice called to her. "To what do I owe the pleasure, my mistress?" She turned and grinned in reply.

"Walker," she said in a low seductive town. "You're just the ghost I was looking for. I have a special job for you."

"Some rule breaker needs to be disposed of?" the ghostly warden asked. His attire was akin to something out of the Prohibition era, complete with white suit and hat. His white, almost skull like face was also adorned with ethereal markings as he grinned at the prospect of doing what he did best.

"Not exactly, Walky," she replied playfully. "There are a few things I need you to acquire for me."

"Is this an order from the master?" he asked cautiously.

"Oh, no. Daddy doesn't need to know about this little excursion," she said, batting her eyes. "Couldn't we keep this just between us?"

"I'm sorry, mistress, but that would be against the rules," he said flatly. "Anything that doesn't benefit the master is strictly forbidden."

"Oh, but this will be beneficial," she pleaded. As she spoke, a red smoke began to work its way from her lips and into Walker's nostrils. She began walking around him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You see, I was planning to surprise Daddy with this plan. He'll be very happy with the results. And I would have you to thank. Can't you do this for little old me?" The effects of her spell were now taking root as his eyes glazed over and flickered slightly, from red to dark pink. She didn't necessarily have her father's powers of mind control, but hers were nothing to be laughed at. She was able to push someone in the right direction, or in her case, her direction, based on their current mindset. Walker's willingness to please her father gave her just the foothold she needed to lead him along into following her plans.

He shook his head as if disoriented and then turned once again towards Valara. "What kind of plan do you have in mind?" he asked with a malicious grin. She grinned back.

"Something that's right up your alley, actually. You know the targets quite well, if I remember correctly," she replied.

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Raven opened her eyes groggily after hours of being in her meditative trance. She groaned as she got up. The battle, along with another trip in Danny's mind and his ice powers had drained her considerably. She looked around and realized she was already in her room. Someone must have moved her, knowing she'd prefer being here to fully heal and meditate. There was only one person in the tower who knew her well enough: Robin. She stretched a little and found herself thirsty for some tea. She was still tired but she was awake enough to move about. Getting out of her bed, she got up and headed towards her door, only to almost knock over Robin, who had been coming in. He had a kettle of hot water and a cup ready for her.

"Thought you'd want some, once you woke up," he said. She moved out of the way to let him in.

"Thank you," she said as he set the tea set down. He turned towards her and she could already predict she was going to get a grilling.

"So when were you going to tell me about Danny?" he asked firmly. Raven sighed.

"What gave me away?" she asked unphased by his stare.

"Probably the fact you went from hating him one day to defending him the next," the boy wonder replied. "Or the fact that you weren't all that shocked when he transformed in front of everybody. I had my suspicions there was a connection between Danny and Phantom but I never would have guessed they were one and the same."

"I only found out myself last night," she confirmed. He's a good person, once you get to know him."

"I just want to make sure he won't cause a problem," Robin conveyed. Raven arched her eyebrow.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that though he may have good intentions, he's still somewhat of loose cannon," he clarified stiffly. "To put it bluntly, I don't trust him yet."

"We can trust him," she replied with a sigh. "Danny just wants to help."

"So did Terra," he retorted, "Which makes it even more confusing. You never really trusted Terra and yet your trusting Danny so easily." Raven looked down, unable to answer. He did have a point.

"He's not like Terra," Raven replied finally. "He's…I understand him. He's like me in more ways than one. I can help him and he can help us."

"And what happens if his powers go out of control again?" he asked. We almost got killed out there, even if it warded those ghosts off.

"I'll train him," she said simply. "All he needs is some control. Like I said before, I'll be responsible for him. If anything happens, I'll be to blame."

"I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, for now," Robin said with a frown. "I'm only looking out for the safety of the team." Raven nodded quietly, her face impassive. The titan's leader headed out the door without saying another word.

Rave contemplated Robin's argument: he did have many good points. Danny could end up being a threat, albeit unintentionally. His new powers were still unstable and could do more hurt than good. But she also could see that he was willing to learn to control them. He had a good heart and his powers could be the advantage they finally needed. She also noted that even Robin noticed her behavior towards Danny. She sighed; she was even more confused over her feelings for him than ever. She couldn't deny any longer that she did care for him; the moment she realized he could have died had her heart pounding with fear. She could even admit that he was indeed cute, though she didn't want it to be public knowledge. But would it even matter? Was it worth it? Was she worth it?

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Danny woke with a start, sitting up quickly and looking around confused. He calmed down when he realized he was in the Titan's medical bay. He could hear the various beeps that told him that he was very much alive. His sudden movement came back to haunt him as a sharp pain shot up his back, probably the result of smashing into a dozen different walls. Looking down, he found his torso and arms covered in bandages, giving the impression he was a mummy. He chuckled to himself, which caused even more pain to shoot through his body. He definitely wasn't one hundred percent just yet. At least he was still alive and in one piece... mostly.

"Danny!" he heard being called. He turned to find his sister, who had been sleeping in the chair next to his bed up until his groaning had woken her up. Tears filled her eyes as she shot up and engulfed her brother in a relief filled hug. Muffled groans could be heard as he tried to bear with the pain cause by her hug.

"Jazz, you're hurting me," he stifled under her assault. She backed away quickly with a look of worry and embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. "I was just so worried about you! We weren't sure if you were ever going to wake up." She was silent for a moment. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap," he replied with a straight face. "But I'll live, somehow. I should be asking you the same question."

"Me?" she responded curiously. "I'm not the one who faced down a ghost who nearly burnt you to a crisp."

"What I meant was did I hurt you?" he asked carefully. "My powers, I mean. I know they sort of went haywire and…"

"Don't worry about it, bro," Jazz interrupted. "You didn't hurt anyone. It wasn't your fault they went on the fritz anyway, so don't start blaming yourself. I'm already used to how weird you can get." She cracked a smile, which he returned.

"So…." He continued, "They know, huh?"

"Yup," she said simply, "They know."

"How exactly did they take it?" he queried worriedly. "I mean, were they angry or ranting about experimentation or anything like that?"

"Why would even think they'd be angry at you?" she inquired. "After they got over the shock of you and the guilt of chasing you around, promising to rip you apart molecule by molecule, they actually were pretty proud of you. You should have seen Dad. He was so happy to know you were in the family business." Danny chuckled at the image.

"Sounds like Dad," he concurred, "Which isn't a good thing." Jazz cocked her head to the side. "They're gonna want to hug me." She giggled at her brother's plight. She was happy he was in good spirits. "Where are they, anyway?"

"If they know what's good for them, they're eating and or sleeping," she said as if she was the parent and they were the children. "They spent all day and night by your bedside. I had to shoo them away earlier after Mom started crying again."

"All night?? What time is it?" he asked.

"Close to ten am by now," she said conferring with her watch. "You were out for a pretty good while."

"Where is everyone else?" he wondered.

"Probably sleeping off the fight," she replied. "I know Cy said he was tinkering with the security system, though."

"What about Raven? Is she alright?"

"She's fine, as far as I know," Jazz replied, a curious twinkle in her eye. "I think that trip in your head wore her down, cause I think she slept just as much as you did. Cyborg and Robin took her to her room a few hours ago." Danny audibly sighed. "Any reason in particular why you asked?"

"I was just worried, that's all," he said. "I mean, she did save my life twice. Just wanted to make sure she was alright."

"Wait, twice?" Jazz asked. "I know she helped you with your powers but when was the first time?"

"Well, you remember the night I sorta freaked on you?" he began. "You know, after the attack? She sort of figured out my identity and we talked. A lot. We actually have a lot in common. She helped me work out a lot of things."

"Hmm... I'm actually sort of jealous," she confessed. "She was able to do in days what I was trying to do for a whole year." She noticed the far off look Danny had as he described what Raven had done for him. The twinkle in her eyes intensified. "Oh, I see. You like her, don't you." It took a few moments for her words to seep in. Danny's cheeks began to glow a rosy red.

"Wait, what? No!" he flustered, trying to deny the allegations.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Danny," Jazz said knowingly. "It's common for people to be infatuated with their heroes."

"I'm not infatuated, Jazz!" he asserted fervently. Jazz simply rolled her eyes and grinned widely. Before Danny could do anything to retaliate, the doors of the med bay opened, revealing Jack and Maddie.

"Danny!" His mom cried as she ran over to his bed and gave him a warm hug. This was followed by a larger, more crushing hug as Jack decided to hug them both. Danny enjoyed the embrace, despite the searing pain that currently flooded his sense from the pressure on his wounds. He didn't have the heart to tell them to stop. "I'm so glad you're alright, sweetie!"

"Of course he's alright, Mads," Jack said. "He's a Fenton. And a superhero to boot! My son, the superhero. Think you can give your old man an autograph?" Jack held up the same autograph book he had Beast Boy sign when they first arrived at the Tower.

"Any time, Dad," Danny said. "Anytime." Jazz smiled as she watched her now once again complete family.

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**Author's Notes: Hope you enjoyed this little slowness before the drama. See you next time!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron **


	26. Chapter 25: The Three R's

**Author's Notes: Welcome back. Sorry for the delay in between chapters. I'm glad you guys still enjoy my story. I thank you very much for the patience. **

**Now, to answer a few questions. It seems that everyone thought I was going to end the story early. I guess I have the weird ending to the last chapter to blame. To tell you the truth, a lot of what's in this chapter should have been at the end of the last one. Sorry if I scared you guys. Like I've said before, I'm gonna end this story with a bang and a few booms. When it ends, you'll know it.**

**Now, what's in store for this chapter?? It's another easy going chapter, as the name suggests, with just a slight hint of action. We get to catch up on a few people back in Amity, we have some apologies being swapped and we have Robin being overprotective again. Can we blame him?  
**

**Now, on with the show! **

* * *

Haunted Destiny Chapter 25: The Three R's: Rest, Recovery and Reconciliation

Sam Manson, despite her normal goth outlook on life, was especially chipper that morning. Having reconciled with Danny the day before had given her a euphoric high that she felt even now. Having Danny pretty much reject her and Tucker had an almost draining affect, so the new burst of energy she now had felt good; really good. She was currently on her way to the Nasty Burger to have a late breakfast to celebrate. She tried getting Tucker out of bed earlier, but Tucker had other plans, deciding to sleep in late, since it was summer vacation and all. Frankly, she should have been doing the same, considering she was never a morning person, but she was so hyper that morning, she just couldn't sleep. It seemed that nothing could ruin her day.

"Sam?" she heard a voice called. She groaned silently, realizing two things: first was that she recognized the voice and second was that she might have spoken too soon about the day being ruined. She turned around to confirm her suspicion; standing in front of her was Valerie Grey. To say Sam didn't like Valerie was sort of an understatement. Maybe it was the fact that Valerie was a ghost hunter who fervently hunted down Danny Phantom. Or maybe it was the fact that at the same time, she once was in a romantic relationship with Danny Fenton. Sam had always thought it was downright suicidal for Danny to be friends with Grey, let alone date her, considering she was on his heals whenever he showed up as Phantom. Sam had even said so much to him on numerous occasions.

Sam froze for a moment, like a deer stuck in the headlights of a careening car. She wondered why Valerie was even talking to her. The two girls had butted heads many times in the past. She was about to say something sarcastic to scare her off when she noticed something off about her. Valerie looked almost apprehensive, a sight Sam never though she would have witnessed. Valerie was always confident and gutsy, which was easily seen whether in civilian clothes or in her red ghost hunting suit. So to see her like this was odd, to say the least. Sam held back whatever sardonic remark that was poised at the tip of her tongue and decided to be civil, for once.

"Valerie," Sam said, acknowledging the African-American girl's salutation. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Was just heading to work," Valerie clarified. She paused for a moment, looking unsure about something before finally speaking up again. "Listen, I know it's probably not any of my business or anything, but I was wondering if everything was ok. I mean, I was sort of there in front of the school the other day. I was wondering how you and Tucker were." Sam was surprised that Valerie actually cared.

"I think everyone at the school was there," Sam said with a chuckle. "I guess that whole thing wasn't necessarily a secret."

"I guess not," Valerie replied, noticing Sam didn't even come close to answering her question. "I've noticed that Danny's been… different for a while now. I've tried to talk to him a couple of times, but all I've gotten was the cold shoulder. I know you don't have any reason to trust me…" she heard a stifled laughed from the goth, "but I consider Danny a friend. I was just wondering if you knew anything." Sam contemplated if she should be telling her anything, let alone any news of their recent reconciliation. Sam cursed herself for actually feeling remorse for the girl, blaming it on her good mood.

"Listen," Sam began, knowing she would regret it later, "You don't need to worry about it. As a matter of fact, we've actually patched things up with Danny yesterday. I'm sure you'll be able to talk to Danny once he and his folks come back from their trip." She said this hesitantly, gritting her teeth the whole time.

"Really?" Valerie asked, her mood becoming decidedly better. "That's awesome!" She then did something that took both girls by surprise: Valerie closed the gap between the two and hugged Sam, catching her off guard. Sam blinked and froze, not sure on how to react to such a display from her rival. A few moments later, Valerie realized what she was doing and to whom and immediately disconnected herself from the embrace. "Uhh, sorry," she apologized sheepishly.

"We'll pretend that never happened," Sam replied. Valerie nodded in agreement. "So, you said you were off to work. Are you still working at the Nasty Burger?"

"Yeah," she confirmed. "I'm actually an assistant manager during the night shift, though I work some mornings, too."

"Wow," Sam said, politely trying to show interest. "Climbing up the corporate ladder?"

"It looks like it," the ghost huntress replied. "It's amazing what you can do when you have time on your hands." She paused hesitantly, looking like she said something she shouldn't had. Sam looked at her curiously.

"Free time?" Sam repeated. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Valerie began uncertainly, "I had another …job that I used to do. I was hard work and had crappy hours. And there was this one guy I didn't like very much. Eventually I just quit. There wasn't any reason for me to do it anymore." Sam's interest was now piqued. She was almost positive the 'job' Valerie was talking about was the ghost hunting she would do on occasion. The fact that she had given up was what astonished Sam the most; Valerie was not one to just give up on something, especially ghost hunting. She was going to ask another question when an explosion erupted from behind them, sending both girls flying with a thud. It took a moment for them to clear their heads from the bang. "What the heck was that?"

"That would be me," a voice said in a malicious tone. The girls turned to find the smiling Walker, his nightsticks still glowing crimson from the blast he fired. "I think I need to have a talk with you ladies."

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

"Here you go, sweetie!" Maddie Fenton called as she entered the medical bay, holding a large breakfast in a tray. "A big breakfast for my little superhero…" she stopped suddenly as noticed two things. Not only was Danny out of bed, but he was in the process of removing the bandages that currently covered his body. His sister Jazz had a disapproving look on her face as she turned towards her mother in frustration.

"He won't listen to me, Mom," the elder sibling explained. "I told he needs to lie down and recuperate but does he ever listen?"

"What do you think you're doing, young man?" Maddie asked, her tone turning from loving to authoritative mother. "You know you're not well enough to be moving." Jack, who had been behind her as they entered, knew this tone as well. He immediately took refuge behind his daughter, not wanting to get in his wife's way.

"Mom, I'm fine, really," Danny said not so convincingly. He suddenly began to sway as his strength left his legs for a moment. Finding balance again, he found himself looking into the skeptical faces of both his mother and sister. "OK, maybe I'm not at one hundred percent right now. But I'll be fine once I get my land legs back. I don't exactly have time to be just lying around right now."

"Honey, I understand that you want to help," Maddie began, "but not in the condition you're in. You need to focus on getting better."

"That's what I'm trying to do, mom," Danny explained. "I have to get a handle on these new powers or I'm no good to anyone. If those ghosts come back again, I'll only be in the way. I might accidentally get everyone hurt or worse. I have to start training right away."

"Danny…" his mother said hesitantly. Her motherly instincts were going into overdrive now, screaming at her to keep him safe and let him heal up.

"Mom, Dad, please," Danny pleaded, his eyes being rather insistent on the matter. Jazz sighed at her brother's begging and decided, against her better judgment, to help.

"You know mom," the older redheaded sibling began, "You might as well let him. You know how stubborn a Fenton can be. And besides, this can be your chance to study the powers a human/ghost hybrid up close and personal." Jazz could practically hear the gears of science turning in both her parent's heads. Jack was already grinning at the chance of seeing what his son could do while Maddie was still resisting her parental nature in the matter. Danny meanwhile was trying to figure out whether this was a good idea or not. For one thing, he was rather curious himself over his recent transformation and about his powers in general. His parent's insights in the matter would be a whole lot of help. On the other hand, they were his parents. He knew they weren't going to tie him to a gurney and perform experiments on him or anything but they did tend to go overboard sometimes.

"Alright," Maddie relented reluctantly. "But only under two conditions. First, your father and I have a say on when you stop. And two…" she once again lifted the tray of food she had brought in, "You have to eat breakfast first."

"I can live with that," Danny conceded as he sat down and began to eat the breakfast his mother had prepared.

"You owe me," Jazz whispered as she walked away with a not so innocent smirk on her face. Danny rolled his eyes before once again digging in, satisfying his hunger becoming his top priority.

"Jazz, come help me unpack some equipment from the RV," Maddie ordered, as she nodded towards her husband. Jack nodded back and turned towards Danny as the two women exited the room.

"How are you feeling, Dan-o!" the large man asked as he gave his son a hearty pat on the back. Unfortunately, Danny was in mid-swallow and began to choke on his food. He grabbed a glass of water and gulped it down before replying.

"Just peachy Dad," Danny answered in between coughs.

"Listen, son," Jack said in an unusually serious tone, "Your mother and I have been talking things over. We know we haven't been the best parents, with us hunting you and all…"

"Dad, you don't need to apologize for that," Danny interrupted. "It's my fault for never telling you guys."

"That's no excuse," Jack said gravely. Danny wasn't sure how to react to his father's change in tone. "We should have at least noticed something. I guess we were so caught up in ghost hunting and catching…uh…you, that we lost sight of what was most important to us: our family. I just want to let you know, son, that you don't have to do anything alone anymore. We'll try to always be there for you and your sister for now on."

"Thanks, Dad," Danny said after a few moments of reflection. He placed his hand on his father's shoulder. "That really means a lot to me. I'll need whatever help I can get."

"Now eat up, Danny-boy!" Jack said, his usual energy back in his voice. "Time to show your old man what you can do!"

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A loud yawn could be heard from the common room of the tower as Cyborg slaved in the kitchen to satisfy the rumbling that awoke him in his belly. Even at this late an hour, he was the first to enter, still rubbing the sand out of his eyes. His skillet was now sizzling with strips of bacon and scrambled eggs as he prepared a quick but hearty breakfast for him to swallow. Halfway through his preparation, a tired Beast Boy stumbled in the main entrance, equally exhausted. Various parts of his body were covered in bandages, a lingering reminder of the fierce battle they had fought the day before. He looked at oven, but no sarcastic or accusatory remark was made. Instead he shuddered.

"I feel like that bacon," he muttered dejectedly as he went to the refrigerator to grab some soy-based food stuffs.

"Tell me about it," Cyborg replied. "I spent all night replacing parts and circuits. It got so hot that it warped my armor. My arm still squeaks!" He demonstrated by flexing his left elbow, which did indeed squeal loudly. "Not to mention what happened to my baby! There weren't even enough parts to salvage. I'm gonna have to build her from scratch…again!"

"At least you didn't get fried in the behind," the green titan countered as he tried to sit and then jumped up from the pain. Cyborg chuckled at his teammate's distress, which elicited death glares from Beast Boy. Before BB could retort, a chipper Starfire entered the room.

"Good morning, friends!" she cheered. "What a glorious day it is, to be alive after such a grueling battle!" She too was bandaged, around her abdomen and her right shoulder. Unlike beast Boy, she looked as if there weren't even there because her usual enthusiasm was in full force. "I trust everyone is feeling better?"

"More or less," Cyborg answered. "Some of us might be more well-done than others."

"Does anyone know if the Fentons are doing well?" Starfire asked, worry creeping in her voice for a moment.

"I know Mr. and Mrs. F. were cooking breakfast a little bit earlier," Cyborg answered. "They took some of it to the medical bay, I think."

"I do hope friend Danny is feeling better," the alien girl said. Cyborg nodded in agreement.

"Dude, I still can't believe Danny was actually Phantom," Beast boy exclaimed.

"Now that I think about it, it was pretty obvious," Cyborg replied. "I mean, think about it. They looked the same. And the names were a dead give away."

"Not to mention they were both total jerks," Beast Boy said with a huff.

"His jerkiness reminded me much of….Robin!" she cried nervously as the boy wonder entered the room. Both Cyborg and Beast Boy tried to hide their smiles and were failing miserably. Fortunately, Robin didn't seem to notice. Starfire noticed immediately that his face was all business, which saddened her somewhat. "Robin, is there something wrong? Was Raven feeling well?"

"Raven was fine," Robin dismissed. "More importantly, we have a lot of work ahead of us."

"Come on, dude; can't we take a break," the green titan moaned. "We just got our butts toasted out there."

"Which is why we can't just relax," the team leader explained. "We don't know when we'll get attacked again. We'll need to prepare now that we know a little bit more of what the enemy is capable of."

"How do you stop a ghost who uses supernatural fire?" Cyborg asked rhetorically. "I mean, they practically did a number on us without even trying."

"I don't mean to interrupt," a voice said from the doorway. All the Titans turned to find Danny walking in, "But I was wondering if you guys needed any help with that." There was a moment of awkward silence as both sides didn't know exactly what to say to each other. Robin's face was hard and unmoving while the rest had various states of mixed emotions. Danny took a deep breath before continuing. "Now that the cat's out of the bag about my not so secret identity, I think a few things need be addressed."

"First off, I really owe you guys an apology. I know I wasn't the best guest in the world, either as Fenton or Phantom. I guess I was sort of jealous of you guys. I was trying so hard to prove myself and do everything on my own that I put you and my family in danger. I'm sorry for being such an idiot. That being said, if you'll let me, I still would like to help you guys fight this ghost. I know I'm not in the best shape and my powers are still sort of out of whack, but once I get the hang of it, I'd like to give you guys a hand." The room was once again bathed in silence. The teen heroes looked at each other, mulling over Danny's apology and offer.

Danny tried his best not to let the tension get to him, or at least not visibly. On the inside, however, his stomach was churning like a nuclear reactor, threatening to let loose the breakfast he had just eaten minutes earlier. His worry was intensified as Cyborg walked up towards him. He gulped and prepared for the worse and the large titan held out his hand. Danny stared at it for a few moments before realizing that Cyborg wanted him to shake it. He accepted, causing Cyborg to grin widely.

"We're cool, man," the cybernetic teen said reassuringly. "We all have our moments. Some more than others." His eyes darted towards Robin knowingly. Robin huffed slightly at the insinuation. Once they parted hands, Danny suddenly felt himself embraced by two very powerful arms. The air was literally knocked out of him as he was caught for the first time by one of Starfire's signature hugs.

"Friend!" she cried out gleefully, "All is forgiven! I shall joyously welcome fighting side by side with you!" Danny wheezed from the pressure, his face turning visibly blue. His body involuntarily turned intangible, providing freedom for the half-ghost. Gulping fresh air, he took a step back, while Starfire opened her eyes, wondering where her new 'friend' had gone. Cyborg subdued another chuckle at Danny's expense. Beast Boy seemed to eye the ghost boy carefully before speaking.

"I only have two conditions," the green boy said. "First of all, you owe me a game. And two, can I see that cool transformation thing?" All seriousness had now vanished from his face as what could only be considered as fanboyish glee was in his glimmering eyes.

"Uhh, sure?" Danny replied reluctantly. Everyone then turned towards Robin, whose face seemed to be made of granite.

"What I said before stays the same," the boy wonder said. "If you do anything to put anyone of my team in danger, you'll have to deal with me. Other than that, you're the only shot we have at beating these ghosts right now. That doesn't mean I trust you. You'll have to earn that trust." Danny simply nodded.

"Now that we have that out of the way," someone said from the kitchen table. Everyone turned to find Raven, who was quietly sipping a cup of tea. Everyone was asking the same question in their mind: when and how did she get there without any of them realizing it. She took one final sip, set her cup down and then walked over to Danny. "You're coming with me," she said as she dragged the ghost boy towards the door. "You've got some training to do."

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

"Another perfectly good day ruined," Sam mumbled as she rose to her feet. Valerie was still reeling from the shock of the blast. Sam stood to face the specter, whose face was still grinning in triumph. "Walker? To what do we owe the displeasure?"

"Ah, still as snippy as ever, I see," Walker replied. "If it were up to me I'd throw in the slammer for that remark. It's a hundred year fine for insulting an officer of the law. But since I've come to 'escort' you to see the master, I let it slide this time."

"Is your 'master' the reason you're suddenly sporting tattoos," Sam asked sarcastically, "Because I have to say, he has some good taste. I'm almost tempted to meet him. Unfortunately I'll have to pass." Sam turned to find an escape route only to find more of Walker's goons had arrived. They all wore police riot gear and all of them, like Walker, wore the same glowing tattoos. Valerie was just getting back on her feet

"What hit me?" she asked before her eyes were able to focus again. "What? Ghosts?" her body tensed as she saw the threat in front of her. She glanced back and forth between Sam and Walker, unsure of what to do. She then focused up in the sky, as if she were expecting someone to show up.

"You know what would really be nice?" Sam said suggestively, "If we could just fly out of here."

"That would be nice," Valerie said distractedly.

"What I mean is that it would be great if you could just zip us out of here or fight off these ghosts or something," Sam said, hoping the huntress would take a hint. Valerie, finally realizing what Sam was saying, turned to the Goth girl, with a look of half confusion and half fear.

"I-I have not idea what you're talking about," she stuttered, hoping she had heard wrong. Sam sighed.

"Listen, Val," she started, "I know about that other 'job' you do. The one where you ghost hunt? So now would be a good time to get out that flying board of yours and get us out of here!" The ghosts were closing the gap between them and the two girls, causing them to now stand back to back.

"What about Phantom?" Valerie asked hastily. "Doesn't he normally come around this time?" Sam was shocked for another umpteenth time that day. Valerie was actually hoping Phantom would show up? The same Valerie who blamed him for ruining her live. The same girl who would chase him with a vengeance. She actually wanted him to save them vs. beating the ghosts herself? Something was definitely wrong.

"I don't think Phantom will be helping you any time soon," Walker answered with a snicker. "This is why we need you ladies; to get his attention. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"Now would be a good time," Sam directed at Valerie who actually looked nervous as the ghosts got closer. She finally closed her eyes and focused on her suit. It suddenly appeared around her, covering every inch of her body in black highlighted with red. He face could be seen behind the red glass that covered it; it had her usual bravado, though some of her previous doubt remained. She grabbed Sam, catching her by surprise as a black hover board appeared under her feet. She gunned it, ramming two of the ghosts in the process and thus providing a means for their escape.

"So glad they chose the hard way," smirked the ghost warden as he watched his prey make a break for it. "I was about to think that was going to be boring. Have fun, boys." And with that, the other ghosts went off in pursuit.

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

"Make sure you secure those sensors, sweetie," Maddie Fenton called out to her husband. The mountain of a man was currently on a ladder, attaching a gadget to the wall of the Titan's training area. Starfire was helping as well, using her flying abilities to make it easier. Maddie was doing one last scan of Danny using a handheld ecto-spectrometer. Cyborg and Jazz were in the monitoring room, calibrating the computers that were going to record all the info from Danny's training. "Why I never suspected something before is beyond me." She could clearly make out the low level ectoplasmic field her son was giving off. "No wonder all those gadgets reacted to you."

"Hope you don't mind about the few that mysteriously disappeared on you guys," her son said with a sheepish grin. Maddie's eyes widened.

"That was you?" she said in disbelief. Danny nodded guiltily. "Well, it can't be helped. We'll promise to be more careful with what we build around you, honey. Now…" She lifted Danny's shirt suddenly, catching him off guard. She placed three patches onto his chest and box onto his waist, which connected to the patches via a few wires. "This one is to measure your core temperature, this one for your ecto-levels and the third for your life signs. And this," she said pecking him on the cheek, "Is for good luck."

"Mom?!" Danny flustered by his mother's sudden act of affection. She smiled and headed towards the monitoring room. Jack and the other Titans were already there, waiting to see how everything would turn out. That only left Raven and a somewhat fidgety Danny in the training area.

"Nervous?" Raven asked, sensing his uneasiness.

"Sort of," the halfa admitted. "I mean, this is the first time so many people have seen me transform. It's been normally Sam, Tucker and sometimes Jazz."

"Just take your time," Raven assured. "And stay focus. Don't let your emotions get the better of you." Danny gave a thumbs-up sign before taking a deep breath. He had transformed countless number of times without even thinking about it. This was no different, no matter how much his powers might have changed. He held up his arms in his usual stance and yelled out his battle cry.

"I'm going ghost!" he yelled as he willed himself from Danny Fenton to Danny Phantom. The rings appeared around his waist on queue, just like every other time he had done it. Jazz had seen his brother due this dozens of times, so it didn't necessarily phase her, but for everyone else it was mesmerizing to watch as the ring became two, going in opposite direction across his body. His clothes disappeared to be replaced by the familiar black and white jump suit his alter ego wore. His hair turned from raven black to snowy white, completing the transformation. His parents were so enthralled that they forgot to even look at their screens to read the data of the transformation. Luckily for them, everything was being recorded.

Danny, who had his eyes closed the whole time, opened them one at a time. He waved his hand in front of his face, as if to make sure it was still there. "Hey guys?" he called out to the Monitoring room's window. "Does everything look ok? My skin isn't blue, is it? Or maybe pointy ears and flaming hair?"

"You look fine, Danny," Jazz called out into the intercom. He could hear hoots and hollers from behind her, mostly from his dad and Beast Boy. Danny breathed a sigh of relief as he once again focused on the task at hand. He held up his hand to He turned his attention to his impromptu teacher.

"So, what now?" he asked her.

"Try doing something normal with your powers," she answered. He nodded and held out his hand. He focused on charging his hand up for an ecto-blast, which he did with little problem.

"At least my old powers seem to be the same," he noted as he took aim and fired at one of the targets his parents had set up. Each one had an internal ecto-meter, which measured the force and energy reading of his blasts. He let the energy dissipate from his hand.

"Alright, now close your eyes and try to concentrate," Raven instructed. "That new power is there, it just needs some nudging now. Try and see if you can feel it." Danny did as he was told as he closed his eyes and began to focus.

"Actually, now that you mention it, I can feel it," Danny replied. "It's sort of hard to explain. It's there, like my usual powers, but different. It's chilly, but not as powerful as the last time."

"You power is probably still a little bit dormant since you used so much energy," she explained. "That'll probably work in our favor, since it probably won't be too much for you to handle now. Now, see if you can try and use it like you would use your regular powers." Danny closed his eyes again and tried to concentrate.

In his mind he could see them. His old powers, which could be described as being green and his new powers which were bright blue, like the mist of his ghost sense. He reached out towards this new, mysterious, but hesitated for a moment. Would he be able to handle it this time? After all the damage he did the day before, could he keep it in check?

"Don't hesitate," he heard Raven echo in his mind. "Doubt will only put your mind into chaos. We all trust you, so you should trust yourself." Raven's words seemed to ebb the uncertainty and fear right out of his mind. With new confidence, he once again reached forward. He suddenly felt it; the same familiar chill from before. It started from his chest and worked its way down his arm until he felt a burst of cold surrounding his hand. Opening his eyes, he saw that his hand seemed to be surrounded by ectoplasm, not unlike his usual variety, except this was bright blue. He wiggled his fingers as he examined the blue energy. It felt cold, but it wasn't mind numbing, like it was yesterday. It almost felt natural.

"I did it," he whispered to himself. "I DID IT!" he jumped in the air in triumph. He punched the air, accidentally letting loose the blast that was still in the palm of his hand. Everyone who was in the monitoring room ducked as the blast hit the glass, covering it in a sheet of ice. The extreme temperature change caused the glass to buckle and break, causing it to careen onto the ground below. "Uhh, sorry?" he apologized sheepishly as he felt eight pairs of eyes glaring at him.

"This is gonna take a while," Raven quipped as she shook her head.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this one. Will Danny perfect his new powers? Will Sam and Valerie be alright? What does Valara have in store for the ladies any who? Find out, same Phantom time, Same Titan channel! **


	27. Chapter 26: Love Gained, Love Lost

**Author's Notes: Welcome Back. Thank you for all the awesome replies for the last chapter. I got something special for you guys. 7/26/07 Marks the one year anniversary for this story. One year already! So I'm gonna try to do at least 2 chapters this week. Not sure if I can, but I'll try.**

**Now, what's going on in this chappie? Crap hits the fan in Amity and a certain special event might be a brewing. Stay tuned…**

Chapter 26: Love Lost, Love Gained

"What the hell is going on here?" a very miffed Valerie Grey yelled from high above downtown Amity Park. She deftly performed a barrel roll maneuver, narrowly escaping from rain of crimson-colored ecto-blasts. Standing behind her on the board was Sam Manson, who was holding onto Valerie's waist for dear life, hoping she wasn't going to fall off as the red ghost hunter did another crazy aerial stunt. "One moment I'm headed off to work, enjoying the day for a change and the next I'm being chased by some psycho ghosts for no reason at all!" She looked back to Sam. "You know something, Manson."

"Why would I know?" Sam asked disbelievingly. "I'm being chased here, too!"

"You seemed to know that ghost," she said accusingly, "And it knew both our names. What did you do to piss him off?"

"I didn't do anything," Sam shot back. "At least not recently," she added in a whisper. "Anyway, we don't have time to argue about it. We need to get these guys off our backs. You wouldn't happen to have any extra ecto-guns on you?"

"Give me a sec," Valerie grunted. She fished out a handheld blaster from one of her side pockets and handed it to Sam. "You better be careful with that. You could hurt yourself if you don't know how to use…" she was interrupted by the sight of Sam successfully picking off two of the ghosts that were chasing them. "Wait, where did you learn to shoot like that?!"

"When you live in a town overrun by ghosts," Sam explained calmly. "And your best friend's parents are ghost hunters; you tend to pick a few things. Especially when your life is in danger all the time, like with your flying right now. What are you trying to do, get us killed?"

"I'm trying to save both our lives, thank you very much," the ghost huntress shot back. "By the way, I suggest you hold on tight." Sam wondered what she meant until she saw what was up ahead; the ghosts had decided to form a blockade directly in their path. That, added with the fact that there were ghosts behind them and buildings on either side, it seemed that they were trapped. "Looks like there's nowhere to go but…"

"Wait, what the hell do you think you're…" Sam couldn't finish the sentence as Valerie hit the throttle at full speed. She then pulled up, shooting like a rocket in the air. "HOLY SHI…!" was all Sam could say as she tried to hold on tightly to Valerie, whom she thought was out of her mind. Valerie was gritting her teeth the whole time until they finally made it past the top of the city skyline.

Then just as quickly as the rapid acceleration started, it stopped as the engine cut off. Time seemed to stop as they began to slow down in mid air. It almost seemed like they were floating for a moment. Sam's eyes widened in fear. Was Valerie giving up already? "Uh, Valerie?" she said, trying to get the other girl's attention. "Valerie!!" Gravity soon took over as the nose of the board began to turn downwards. Sam could see the ghosts that were on their tail were coming closer.

"NOW!" Valerie screamed. The hover board's engine came to life once again as it rushed towards the ghosts. Both the ghosts and Sam wondered what the heck was going on. Before they knew it, two guns appeared onto Valerie's arms. She took aim and began to fire like a mad woman. Taking a hint, Sam did the same with her own gun. Walker's men were taken by surprise as they succumb to the firepower of the two young women. Valerie leveled off and once again continued their escape above the city.

"Holy…don't you ever do that again!" the goth girl said, gasping for air. "A little warning would be nice. Damn, I should be used to flying by now."

"We're alive, aren't we?" other girl responded. "And what do you mean about getting used to flying?"

"Flying with you!" Sam said hastily. "You and your crazy out of control flying. That's exactly what I meant."

"Uh huh," Valerie replied suspiciously. "Whatever you say. Anyway, this should have bought us some time. We need to find a place to hide before they find us again. We're sitting ducks up here."

"What about FentonWorks?" Sam suggested. "I have the key. Plus they have a ghost shield that'll protect us."

"Sounds like a plan," Valerie approved. She smiled slightly as she flew over the city. "I never realized how much I missed doing this."

"So why did you stop?" Sam could feel Valerie tense up from the question.

"I'll tell you…only after you tell me why those ghosts are after us."

"I already told you I don't have a clue," Sam snapped.

"Suit yourself," Valerie said teasingly. They both could see the familiar sign of the Fenton home in the distance. "Hopefully we can make it in time before they track us down."

"Let's hope so."

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

"These readings are amazing!" Maddie exclaimed as she watched the screen in front of her. Various numbers appeared on screen as well as a multi-colored chart representing Danny's ecto signature as well as an infra-red heat image of Danny himself. "This new type of ectoplasm is nothing like I've ever seen before."

"That's my boy!" Jack hollered as he watched his son in action. After a few hours in training Danny had managed to get a handle on his new powers. He was now fairing against a number of Cyborg's training drones. The room already showed the results of his efforts: a number of drones were strewn across the floor, either incased in ice or impaled by icicles. Also various spots on the floor were covered in permafrost from a few misfires early on during the session.

"He's gotten pretty good at controlling it," Cyborg noted as Danny fired another ice blast from his palm, freezing another drone. "He's pretty agile, too."

"Not bad," Robin begrudgingly admitted as he watched. The fact was that Phantom was really good. He was almost a completely different person than when they met before. Robin could tell that whatever rage that seemed to fuel his fighting before had subsided greatly. As a result, he seemed more focused, which was a good thing.

"What's so amazing about it, mom?" Jazz asked. "I mean, Danny's faced off against ghosts with ice powers before. It isn't that unusual, is it?"

"I don't think they were at this level, dear," Maddie countered. "This is almost a direct inverse of the fire ectoplasm from that Pyre ghost. While that fire burned ectoplasm and real matter alike, this freezes them to the point you could call it negative heat. I wouldn't be surprised if it could freeze energized ectoplasm as well."

"So it'll work against that ghost?" Robin asked, assessing the situation.

"With a strong enough blast, Danny should be able to neutralize the fireplasm." Maddie explained.

"Fireplasm?" Cyborg asked.

"My idea!" Jack admitted, obviously proud of himself. "New type of ectoplasm that's burns like fire equals fireplasm. Plus it sounds cool."

"Anyway, with these readings we should be able to simulate the cryoplasm in our weapons," Maddie explained.

"I still think 'iceplasm' sounds cooler," Jack said disappointedly. Jazz rolled her eyes.

Meanwhile Danny was busy dispatching some of the last remaining drones. Raven was watching from a short distance, slightly mesmerized while Danny fought. The fact he was able to gain control of his powers after such a small amount of time was remarkable. He seemed to already have a knack for it, probably from using his normal powers and his previous training. His movements were also different from before; he seemed more graceful now versus his normal hard and fast technique.

He was breathing heavier now, his exhaustion coming back to haunt him. His breath came out in blue puffs of mist, which they concluded was a side effect of using his ice powers. She shook herself out of her reverie and decided to end the training session for today. That is, she would have if Danny hadn't suddenly collapsed onto the floor. As soon as he hit the ground, he changed back into his human form. Raven was at his side instantly, worried that the strain was too much for him. She checked his vitals and then smiled.

"He's asleep," she said to the others, who all sighed in relief.

"I warned him not to push himself," Maddie said with a half smile. Her son was now audibly snoring, a peaceful grin firmly planted on his face.

"I guess the show's over," Cyborg said with a chuckle. "I'll help carry him to his room. Rob, could you…" Cyborg began before he realized their team leader was nowhere to be found. Shrugging his shoulder, he headed down to help Raven with her slumbering pupil.

"Come on, Jack," Maddie began, "Let's get started on pouring over this data." Both the Fenton parents headed out as well. Jazz followed her parents, knowing her brother was in capable hands. Starfire was next to leave, a worried look playing on her face. That left Beast Boy, whom after looking around the now empty room, felt dejected.

"Awe, man!" he cried. "No one to play games with again!"

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

Robin had a lot on his mind and a growing stack of paperwork to deal with. Being government sponsored meant that he always had some document to look over, sign, file and send over to the Mayor's office and to the police department. He dreaded how many damage claims forms he had to look over. The battle from yesterday had done a lot of collateral damage. He had no doubt that a number of buildings would have to be torn down and put back up. He also had no doubt that even more would be damaged by the time this case was over.

He also had to deal with the Phantom situation. He wasn't fully ready to put trust in him yet. He had shown signs of improving when it came to controlling his powers. And from what the Fentons said, he'd be a key element to defeating those fire-based ghosts. That being said, he still had his doubts. Phantom was a loner and Robin knew that was a habit that wasn't so easy to suppress. There also was the fact that he seemed a bit unstable whenever it came to excessive stress. He would definitely need to keep an eye on him.

The boy wonder was so lost in thought he didn't notice what room he was currently passing. The doors of said room slid open and two pairs of hands grabbed Robin by the arm, pulling the ambushed titan in. Robin finally found his wits and was prepared to counter attack until he found that he was staring into the deep green eyes of a certain Tamaranian girl. Robin was always fond of how her eyes always told how she felt, but at the moment her eyes were two saucers full of distress and worry.

"Star, what's wrong?" he asked. "Did something happen?"

"No, that is not the case," she said worriedly. "In fact, I wish that were the case. But the problem is that there is nothing happening." Robin's face mirrored his confusion.

"I don't understand," he stated. "What's not happening?"

"Us," she answered, "We have not had enough of the alone time in quite a while."

"We've been busy, Star," he tried to reason. "A lot has happened these past few days."

"I am painfully aware of that," she answered. "But we are not busy now. Can we not take advantage of the silence?"

"I'm sorry, Star, but I have work to do," Robin said. "I have a lot of paperwork to finish. Plus I need to go over the tower's security with Cyborg and…"

"This is what I am talking about," the young alien girl moaned in frustration. "You are doing the reverse pedaling! You are being obsessive again!"

"Star, you have to understand," the boy wonder tried to explain. "I'm just trying to do what's best for the team. We have to be prepared for the next battle."

"And when do you have time to do what is best for us?" she replied. Robin looked away from her torn gaze. She sighed to herself. "Is not rest and recreation a part of preparing for battle?" Robin nodded slowly, unable to counter her logic. "I had planned on something to help you relax." Leaning closer, she whispered something into her boyfriend's ear. Robin's eyes went wide as a rather large blush blossomed on his cheeks. Starfire pulled back to survey her work and smiled alluringly when she saw she got the desired result. "Of course, if you are busy with other things, who am I to interrupt you…"

Her words were interrupted by the lips of Robin, who had taken her bait. Lips were locked, arms became intertwined and the world of reports and plans disappeared in an instant, replaced by the passion of romance.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

"Almost there," Valerie said as they were just a few blocks away from FentonWorks. The sign and ops center were more than visible now, as if it were a beacon of hope for the girls to escape to. A few moments later and they were finally there. The moment Valerie's board came to a stop, Sam jumped of and landed on her hands and knees, thankful to be finally on solid ground. The ghost huntress's hover board disappeared in mid air as Valerie herself landed onto the ground. The visor covering her face folded back, revealing her face. "So, how do we get in?"

"Hold on," Sam replied as she began rummaging through her pockets for something. She suddenly stopped as she remembered something. Reaching into her boot, she fished out a key. She then used it to open the front door, allowing them to enter. She quickly shut and locked the door behind them; though she knew it wasn't gonna do any good for beings that could walk through walls.

"How exactly do you have a key to Danny's house anyway?" Valerie asked in semi suspicion.

"The Fentons consider Tucker and I part of the family, I guess," she replied with a shrug. "Even after our…fight with Danny, I've kept it, just in case. But now isn't the time for going down memory lane. The switch for the shield is downstairs in the lab. Once we get that active, we should go and find the Fenton weapon's vault." Valerie simply nodded, with a hint of jealousy on her face. She followed Sam down the steps to the Fenton lab.

"Has it always been this crowded?" Valerie asked as Sam turned on the lights.

"Looks like they've been busy," she replied. "I don't recognize half this stuff. Ahh, there we go." She picked up an ecto-gun that had been sitting in a Fenton ecto-gun charger. She looked at the gauge to make sure it was fully charged. "Now, where did they put that switch again?"

"You mean this big one labeled 'Fenton ghost shield?'" Valerie asked, pointing to said switch and sign. Sam smiled at the usual Fenton login and then flipped the switch. She waited a few moments for confirmation that the shield was indeed activated, but didn't get any. She flipped a few times again frantically. "What's wrong?" Valerie asked from behind her.

"It's not working," Sam said, fear creeping into her voice. "I don't get it. Either it's broken or..."

"Or the power's been shut off," Walker said as he faded into view. The girls jumped into poses almost instantly; Sam was brandishing both ecto-guns while blasters appeared onto Valerie's wrists. Both girls had Walker in his sights as he just continued to grin. "As much fun as this chase was, I do believe you've kept our master waiting long enough. If you would come with me, please."

"Not on your afterlife, buddy," Sam spat, her finger inching towards the trigger.

"Suit yourself," he replied as his officers rose up from the floor. Sam and Valerie were now surrounded and had no where to go. They both felt the spike of adrenaline rushing through their veins as they both decided the same thing: they weren't going down without a fight. Their blasters whined to life, their muzzles glowing with ectoplasm, just waiting for a target to hit. Unfortunately, they would have to wait. As Sam readied herself for the impending battle, she felt a tingle running through her body. All feeling in her body slowly disappeared as she realized what was happening. She tried to call out to Valerie to warn her, but the control of her voice was no longer hers.

"Ready to kick some ghost butt?" Valerie asked Sam.

"Not quite," she heard Sam reply. Valerie turned to Sam and gasped to find her impromptu ally had her gun pointed at her. The Goth's eyes were an eerie crimson and her lips were pulled into a dark smirk. Valerie backed up slowly, only to feel a sudden sharp pain in her back. Her whole body went numb and her vision was soon filled with blackness. Sam's body soon followed as the ghost that had previously been occupying it shed it off like a piece of clothing.

"Let's go," Walker ordered to his men. "We have what we came for."

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

Raven sighed. It had been only a few hours since the training session with Danny. She thought that would have been enough time for the jumbled mess that was her mind to calm down. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case: It felt as if her emotions were having a party in there, which Raven suspected wasn't far from the truth. The storm that was brewing in her head was as active as it was before, probably even more so. And it all seemed to be focused on a certain ghost boy named Danny.

Although she seemed to be as calm and collected as she usually was during the training, she was anything but. She thanked her years of hiding her emotions; otherwise she didn't think she would have made it this far. Just being near him that whole time, watching him fight and become stronger, seemed to stir her feelings, feelings that she had first tried desperately to hinder. Unfortunately, the harder she tried to deny her feelings, the stronger they became. She pretty much had no choice but to accept the revelation that was staring her in the face: she had feelings for Danny Phantom.

The fact of the matter was that she was scared. She didn't know what exactly to do with this information. She didn't know how to respond or even if she should respond. Would he like her back? Would he hurt like…her eyes closed, stinging from the memory of her last brush with supposed romance. The name Malchior still put a bad taste in her mouth. He used her, played with her emotions, pretending to be interested only so that he would be freed from the book that imprisoned him. She left herself opened and vulnerable and he stomped all over her exposed heart. It had taken her a long time for her to recover from that. She knew Danny would never do that to her but still, to be open to someone like that left her wary.

There was also the fact that he might not be even interested in her. She was no stranger to rejection. Most of her own people in Azarath weren't too fond of her. She lived her life as an outcast to society, only wanted by a few people she was glad to call her family. She thought she would have been used to rejection by now, but she knew that it always sting just as much no matter how many times it happened.

Raven shook her head clear of her thoughts. This was getting her nowhere. She needed a second opinion in the matter. A third party who could help her make sense of all the feelings she had. Someone with experience, someone whom she could trust. That only left one person. Raven soon made her way to her destination. It was one of the Titans' personal bedrooms. The panel on the door indicated it was locked, so Raven pressed the call button.

"Star?" she called out. She could have sworn she heard giggling and muffled speech. "Starfire? I was wondering if we could talk for a second." Raven heard muffled shuffling coming from the room as she waited for a reply. Finally the door opened slightly as Starfire peaked her head out.

"Raven!" Starfire exclaimed. "How may I help you tonight?" Raven's eyebrow shot up as her suspicion rose.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Raven asked. Starfire smiled nervously.

"No! Nothing is wrong, friend," Starfire stammered. "Are you alright, Raven?"

"Well," Raven sighed. She felt that she was going to regret the words she was about to utter. "Remember that thing after we switched bodies? How you said I could come to you about anything? Especially… girl stuff?" Starfire seemed to think for a moment before her eyes widen in realization. A smile blossomed on her face.

"Please wait one moment, friend!" she said as her head disappeared into the door. Starfire turned to Robin, who was slightly perturbed from being interrupted in the middle of their alone time. He watched as his girlfriend looked back and forth between the door and himself. She stopped and turned back to Rabin with a determined look on her face. "My love, I am sorry for the interruption, but there is an emergency I need to attend to!" Before he could object, he was silenced by a long, tender kiss from Starfire that literally took his breath away. She pulled away from the kiss, leaving him in an incoherent daze. "I thank you for understanding." Before he knew what happened, he found himself out in the hallway, along with the top of his uniform. Raven's arm was grabbed and in an instant, the sorceress was dragged into the Tamaranian's room.

"Was that Robin?" Raven asked quizzically. Starfire merely shrugged it off, not acknowledging the question. She had one of her large smiles plastered on her face.

"I am so glad you have come to talk about the girl stuff!" Starfire exclaimed gleefully. She knew how rare of an opportunity this was. Raven was someone who was hard to talk to, even more so when it came to things Starfire had adequately deemed as 'girl stuff'. To have Raven opening willing to talk of such things had Starfire giggling like a schoolgirl. "Tell me, Raven; what did you want to talk about?"

"You have to promise you won't tell anyone about this," Raven demanded. "This is a private thing, got it Star?"

"Of course," Starfire agreed. "I promise on the crown of Tamaran I shall never tell another living soul. So please tell me what is troubling you."

"It's…" Raven began, not sure how to say it, "I… I have a crush on someone…"

"Eeee!" Starfire squealed. "Glorious! Who is it? Do I know him? Ohh, is it Beast Boy?"

"What?!?!" Raven cried in a mix of shock and horror. "No! It's not Beast Boy. What made you think it was him?"

"I've always thought you two would make a lovely couple," Starfire explained awkwardly. Raven shuddered at the thought.

"I don't like him like that," she insisted. "If anything, Beast Boy is more like a brother to me. A really, really annoying younger brother."

"Then is it Cyborg?" she asked once again.

"No, it isn't Cyborg," Raven denied.

"I do hope it isn't Robin because I would very much not want to fight with you over a boy and…"

"STARFIRE!" Raven yelled, causing the alien girl to stop her rabid speculation. Raven took a deep breath to calm her nerves before continuing. "It's not anyone from the team. It's…it's Danny." She felt some of the anxiety lift from her shoulders as she finally revealed her secret to Starfire. She waited a moment to gauge her friend's reaction.

"Phantom?" the alien girl asked. Raven nodded, suddenly wary of Starfire's opinion. She didn't have to wait long as Starfire let out another squeal, this time catching Raven in a giant hug. "I am so happy for you friend!"

"Uhh, thanks?" the pale girl replied. "Can I breathe now?" Starfire let go of her friend instantly.

"I am sorry, Raven," she apologized, "But I am just so happy you have found someone to do the crushing on. I should not have been surprised, however. You seem to have a lot in common."

"We do?" Raven inquired.

"Oh, yes," Starfire replied. "He acted very similar to how you acted were we first met. You were not very…amiable at first." Raven could only smile at her teammate's remark. "Does he know of your affections?"

"That's sort of the problem," Raven admitted. "I don't know if I should even do anything about it. I mean what happens when this all this over with the ghosts? It's not like the Fentons will stay in Jump City. And what if he doesn't like me back? I just can't help think that maybe…maybe I don't deserve to be in love. That maybe I don't deserve to be happy." Starfire watched as her normally reserved friend was now a talkative, almost incoherent mess.

"Raven, please don't say that," Starfire said with tears in her eyes. "I believe that everyone deserves to be loved. And out of everyone in the tower, you deserve it most of all, after everything you've been through in your life. You mean a lot to many people so please; do not think so lowly of yourself. As for your other questions, I do not have all the answers for you, friend. I do know that you will never know unless you actually do something about it. I often times regret all the time I wasted asking myself the same types of questions."

"It was pretty obvious that you guys were meant for each other," Raven commented, "To everyone." The girls shared a light fit of giggles.

"Relationships may be scary but unless you act on them, you may regret it," Starfire said solemnly. "So while he is still here you should let him know how you feel."

"I guess I can try," Raven agreed. "Though I don't think it will be easy."

"I don't think it ever is," Starfire said.

"Thank you, Star. For listening."

"Think nothing of it, Raven. I shall always be there for you. That's what friends are for, are they not?" Starfire hugged her once again, though this time not as hard as before. It had an almost calming effect, loosening all the tight muscles Raven didn't even realized she had. Her stomach was still jumbled up, but she felt some confidence return. She hugged her friend back, thankful that she had been there for moral support. Now was the truly hard part.

**Author's Notes: HAHA! Love how this is coming along. Will Raven confess her feelings for a certain halfa? What does Valara have in store for Sam and Valerie? And what exactly were Robin and Starfire doing in her bedroom, any who? Find out this and more in my next chapter, hopefully later this week!**


	28. Chapter 27: The Long Kiss Goodnight

**Author's Notes: Yeah, I know. This one is a tad bit Late. I thank you for waiting so patiently. This chapter is the one most of have been waiting for. As you can tell from the title, something BIG happens. Something I've been hinting on since Day 1. What happens here will set the stage for the rest of the story any the two sequels I got planned.**

**I thank you guys for all the reviews. I seem to have gotten a lot of new readers. Welcome, all yee newbies. I'm glad you like my story. I hope you love the ending and I hope you love my future stories. Keep on reading.**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 27: The long Kiss Goodnight

Robin had grown tired of waiting. It had been a full hour since he had been unceremoniously ousted from his girlfriend's room after being in the middle of… private matters. He wondered what was so important that their alone time had to be interrupted and delayed. He couldn't help but reflect upon the irony of the situation, especially since it was her who initiated the encounter. He sighed for the umpteenth time that night. He was trained to solve the most baffling cases but he still had the hardest time understanding women, alien or otherwise.

He was now back where he started now, though the thought of continuing his reports was not appealing at all. If anything, Starfire was right about one thing: he was on edge lately. Maybe a little bit of relaxation would refresh his mind enough to figure out what their enemies' next move would be. He made his way to the kitchen, hoping a full stomach would help him think things through a lot better.

He groaned on his trip through the hallway, as he began to hear the makings of an argument in the living room. He could already discern the usual combatants of such quarrels: the loud boisterous voice of Cyborg and his normal cohort in mischief, the smaller, green Beast Boy. As Robin got closer, something threw him off; the fact that Beast Boy was doing most of the yelling, while Cyborg's voice was actually calm. Though cybernetic titan was older and a bit wiser than Beast Boy, he was known to do his fair share of yelling during the shouting matches that would erupt between the two. Everything from food to video games to movies was fair game. The fact that Cyborg was trying to calm Beast Boy down was a bit of a surprise, to say the least. With his curiosity, peaked, Robin decided to at least see what was going on and maybe try to diffuse any conflicts. He entered the room quietly as he surveyed the situation.

"Dude, that's insane!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "That's like the craziest thing I've ever heard."

"Not so crazy if you think about it," Cyborg replied sagely, a knowing grin on his face.

Upon spotting their leader, Beast Boy turned to him, clearly exasperated, "Dude, tell him he's crazy!"

"It would be a good idea to know why I would think he was crazy," Robin countered.

"BB just won't see eye to eye with me about a certain theory I have," Cyborg explained.

"It's because it's a stupid theory," Beast Boy shot back. "It wouldn't happen a gazillion years!"

"What theory?" Robin asked, despite his better judgment. He truthfully wanted to know himself.

"Well, you know how Raven hasn't been herself lately," Cyborg began.

"Yeah," the boy wonder answered as he began preparing his dinner. "Anything having to do with Raven's past puts her on edge."

"That's a given," the taller titan continued. "But there's more to it. She's been acting especially strange around a certain ghost boy." Robin nodded, acknowledging he wasn't the only one who noticed it.

"Hello," Beast boy interrupted. "The guy was a jerk."

"Yeah and she was the first one to be nice to him," Cyborg spelled out. "And she's been nice to him ever since. She was the first to react when he got hurt during our last battle. And she pretty much volunteered to train him once he got his new powers. Have you seen her even do that for anyone else?"

"It's not like Raven hasn't helped anyone," Robin countered.

"All I'm saying is that she went from hating his guts to caring about him pretty quickly," Cyborg said. "I think that Raven has a crush on Danny." The response to Cyborg's theory was immediate; Robin promptly spewed the juice that he had been drinking. He stared at his second in command as if he had grown a second head.

"Told you it was crazy," Beast Boy interjected.

"Just think about it. Both of them are pretty similar. Raven was kind of anti-social when she first joined the team." He stopped as the other two stared at him incredulously. "Ok, she was very anti-social and so was Danny. She eventually warmed up to us and so is Danny now, thanks to Raven. I'm just saying that maybe she sees some of herself in him. And maybe it's enough for her to maybe have a crush. I mean, they would make a pretty cute couple."

Robin was deep in thought now, the gears of his brain spinning with Cyborg's theory. Most of his points were spot on. Robin couldn't help but think that maybe there was something going on between them. He hoped that Raven, probably the most leveled headed of all his team, wasn't letting her emotions cloud her judgment.

"So Rob, what have you been up to?" asked Cyborg, who broke him out of his reverie. "I would have figured you'd be either be neck high in paperwork or making out with Starfire." His last comment was said with his eyebrows dancing and his lips making kissy faces. Robin blushed slightly.

"She was busy talking to Raven," Robin sighed a bit too audibly. "Something about 'girl stuff'." He was about take a bite of his freshly made sandwich when he noticed the stare from Cyborg. "Did I say something?"

"You didn't find that weird at all?" Cyborg asked. Robin shook his head. "Dude, I don't think Raven even does girl stuff. Girl stuff normally involves make-up, clothes, shoes and/or boys; and when have you seen Raven worry about the first three?" This elicited looks of comprehension from both Robin and Beast Boy.

"Which means…?"

"Which means that our little Raven is growing up," Cyborg replied, wiping a mock tear from his eye.

"That still doesn't mean they'd get together," Robin countered. "It just means they talked."

"Then how about a friendly wager, bird boy?" the taller teen challenged. "I bet you that by the end of the week, Raven and Danny will be locking lips at least. Or are you more chicken than robin?" To add insult to injury, Cyborg began flapping his elbows like wings, making clucking noises. He smiled as he saw signs of Robin's over-competitive nature taking over. He took the bait.

"You're on, tin-man," Robin replied as they shook hands. They both turned towards Beast Boy.

"What about you, grass-stain? You want to make a bet?"

"I still think you're crazy," Beast Boy replied. "But I'm game. What exactly are we betting?"

"Oh, we can work something out," Cyborg said with a grin as he contemplated what to wager.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Jazz Fenton sat quietly next her brother as he slept in their shared room, a position she was now all too familiar with. Surprisingly enough, she didn't mind watching over him like this. It at least gave her something to do; it gave her a purpose when otherwise she would be helpless. She knew she didn't have any super powers or anything like that, but just being there, watching over him instead of the other way around, made her feel useful.

She smiled as she saw her brother begin to stir from his slumber. He stifled a yawn and rubbed his eyes as he began to decipher his surroundings. He grumbled a bit, which caused Jazz to giggle. Danny seemed to finally notice her, looking at her questioningly.

"How long was I out?" he asked stretched the stiffness out of his body.

"A couple of hours," Jazz clarified. "Mom was worried that you used up too much ectoplasm so…" she pointed to his arm. She looked down to find an IV stuck into his forearm. The line was filled with glowing, viscous green liquid he recognized as ectoplasm in its more solid state.

"Do I even want to know where this came from?" he queried as he poked the almost empty bag hanging on a pole besides his bed. "Did anything happen while I was off in la-la land?"

"Not really. Ghost activity has been next to nothing. Mom and Dad are still mulling over the readings they collected from you. Other than that, pretty quiet. Except for all that mumbling you did in your sleep."

"I don't talk in my sleep," he denied. "Wish you'd stop accusing me of that."

"How do you know you don't?" she opposed. "You are asleep when it happens." This was one thing she had missed: actual communication with her brother. Even if it was just teasing and bickering. And she did love to tease him. He was always an easy target. "Anyway, your sleep-talking would be annoying, if it wasn't for those juicy tidbits I get every so often." Her smile turned into a full grin as she watched her brother stiffen visibly.

"What…exactly did I say, if I did talk in my sleep?" he asked cautiously, knowing full well that he was walking head first into a trap. "Not that I'm admitting I talk in my sleep or anything."

"Oh, nothing that important," she replied, eyeing him with a fake sweetness, "Just a name."

"Are you gonna tell me or are you gonna make me suffer?" Danny asked.

"I don't know," she answered. "Suffering sounds about right to me."

"JAZZ!" he exasperated.

"All right, since you asked so nicely," Jazz conceded. "I have the distinct recollection that you mentioned Raven. I wonder why that could be?"

"Ra-Raven?" he stammered, suddenly very nervous, "Why would I be dreaming about her?"

"Maybe because you like her?" Jazz teased. Danny's face began to turn crimson.

"Wh-What?" he exclaimed. "No! I don't like her like that. I mean, I like her as a person and she's smart and strong and not that bad looking….but that doesn't mean I like her like her."

"Never said you 'liked her liked her'," Jazz replied mischievously. Danny's blush intensified. "Though you make a compelling argument otherwise."

"Jazz, I don't like her like that!" he exclaimed not so convincingly.

"Uh huh," his sister said. "I'm just saying that if something were to happen between you two, you'd be breaking a lot of hearts."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Danny asked. He didn't think he liked where this was going.

"Phantom does have a whole fan club, right?" she asked rhetorically. "All those girls would be pretty disappointed if their hero was suddenly unavailable. And then there's Sam…" Her last sentence was whispered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied innocently.

"You know what? I don't have to take this," he stated, hoping to collect what little dignity he had left. Pulling the IV out oh his arm with a wince, he got out of bed and stormed out. Jazz couldn't take it anymore and began to chuckle loudly.

"Clueless, as usual…"

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

"What hit me?" a very groggy Sam Manson uttered as she woke up with a splitting headache. She looked around at her unfamiliar surroundings, which didn't look like much, to say the least. The walls were made of black stone, with an eerie orange glow which seemed to serve as the lighting. She seemed to be in some sort of cage, made completely out of fire. It looked like she wasn't leaving any time soon. As she looked around, a noise told her that she wasn't alone. She spotted Valerie, who was just starting to come two. She seemed just as groggy as Sam and equally as irritated.

"When I get my hands on whoever shot me…" she grumbled as she rubbed her eyes. "Ahh! Why is it so bright in here?"

"You can blame the accommodations for that," Sam replied sardonically, "though I do have to say that whoever designed this has good taste."

"You would think that, wouldn't you, Manson," Valerie shot back. "Where is here anyway?"

"My guess is that it's somewhere in the ghost zone," Sam determined.

"Oh, great," the ghost huntress sighed. "Not again! Like I didn't get enough of this place the first time." She once again eyed Sam suspiciously. "How did you know this was the ghost zone?"

"Duh," Sam said matter of factly, "We got kidnapped by ghosts. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Of course, that means we're gonna have a hard time, even if we do manage to escape from out of this cage."

"Why is that?"

"Well, the fact is we don't know where we are. We'd be all set if we had the Fenton's Specter Speeder: that has a map of the ghost zone. But without knowing where we are, we won't know how to get back to the Fenton portal."

"Damn it, I'm gonna loose my job because of this! And why is it so hot in here?"

"Hey, you think I want to be here?" Sam retorted. "What we need to do is calm down and figure out a way out of this."

"Oh, I think you'll be staying a while," a new voice called. The girls turned to find that a ghost who seemed no older than themselves walking into the room.

"You're new. I'm assuming you're the 'master Walker was talking about," Sam spat, her eyes narrowing. The ghost girl grinned. "You'd have to be pretty powerful if you got Walker working for you."

"My, don't we have a fiery temper," she said. "Your assumption is close enough. I am Valara Pyre and I welcome you to my home."

"What the heck is going on here?!" Valerie cried in frustration. "And why the heck did you kidnap us, ghost?"

"To make a long story short, you two shall be bait, to catch the attention of a certain boy," Valara replied. Once I do, you two are free to go." Sam's eyes narrowed even further.

"And what kind of business do you have with him?" Sam asked, the venom dripping from her voice.

"OH, that's simple," Valara said, "I'm going to make him mine." Both human girls' eyes widened.

"You better keep away from Danny, or so help me…" Valerie's ghost hunting suit had already appeared as the girl began her tirade. She aimed a wrist mounted blaster at the ghost and fired, hoping to show that she wasn't weak. The attack bounced off the walls of the cage instead, causing the girls to duck as it ricocheted a few times before it finally fizzled out.

"I suggest you don't do that again," Valara warned the two. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt, now wouldn't we? Phantom would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you."

"Phantom?" Valerie asked, a bit of uneasiness creeping into her voice. "What does he have to do with anything?" She was answered by a fit of laughter from Valara.

"Oh, that's right," Valara commented, "You don't know, do you. Should I let you tell her, Samantha, or should I?" Sam's stomach began to churn.

"Know what?" Valarie asked. She turned to Sam. "I knew it! You do know something!"

"Of course she does," the red-headed ghost teased. "Go ahead, Samantha. Tell her. Tell her how the boy you've both been pining for so long is the same one she's been trying to kill all this time."

"What are you talking about?!" Valerie shot back. "I'd never hurt Danny!"

"Oh, really?" Valara said with a laugh, "You could have fooled me. Don't tell me you're that dense, Valerie. Let me spell it out for you. Your dear Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom are one and the same."

The room seemed to freeze, despite the actually searing tempuratures as Valara uttered those words. Sam gulped as she looked from the other two girls back and forth. She watched morbidly for Valerie's reaction to Danny's exposed secret. The African American teen's face seemed to contort with a mix of emotions, ranging from pain to confusion to anger. "You're lying, ghost!" she spat, practically screaming. "That's impossible! That's crazy! Danny isn't Phantom! That would mean that he was dead he definitely isn't dead!"

"Oh, trust me, that's a problem I may as well rectify," Valara chimed in. "My poor Danny is suffering from the disease known as humanity, you see. He hasn't truly made the transition to the afterlife, it seems. That's something I'm going to have to cure."

"Danny doesn't need to be cured," Sam yelled. "Not by the by a bitch like you."

"Well, you don't have any say on the matter," Valara hissed. "Phantom will be mine, whether you girls like it or not."

"Danny's not going to fall for anything you have planned," Sam continued. "I can't wait to see him wipe the floor with you."

"That's why you're here, of course," Valara explained. "He wouldn't dare risk harming either of you. And that will give me just enough time to…persuade him to stop this hero nonsense of his. As much as I'd like to stay and chat with you two, I have to do some more preparing for Phantom's arrival." And with that, Valara exited the room, her grin never leaving her face.

"It can't be true, can it?" Sam heard Valerie say. "Danny can't be Phantom, can he? That would mean…oh, my goodness! I… I've been trying to kill him! Argh, I'm so confused!"

"Listen Valerie," Sam said thoughtfully, "I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but I can't. Yes, Danny is Phantom, but he isn't the evil ghost you make him out to be. I wish I could tell you more, but its Danny's secret to tell, not mine. When all this crap is over, I'm sure he'll be able to explain everything to you."

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

Raven was wondering where all that confidence she had before ran off to. The pep talk that Starfire had given her had lasted all but five minutes. She was now in probably worse shape than she was before their little heart-to-heart. Her stomach was doing a nice impression of a circus acrobatic, doing a fair amount of jumping and flips. She tried to determine what her next course of action should be. She didn't have to talk to him right away, did she? She still had some time to calm her nerves.

She was currently on her way back to her room, hoping to be discrete. Unfortunately for her, she was so caught up in thought that she bumped into something. She landed on her rear with a 'humph', her senses knocked back into reality. She wondered what she had hit and froze.

Of all the people she could have bumped into...

Staring back at her was Danny Fenton, who looked just as nervous as she felt. He offered his hand as he got upright. She reluctantly placed hers into his as he helped her find her footing.

"Sorry," both of them said at the same time. They shared some nervous laughter, hoping to cut through the tense atmosphere.

There was a moment of awkward silence before Raven finally found her voice. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty well, considering everything that's happened in the past couple of days," he answered.

"That's good," she responded simply. Down the hall, a fluorescent bulb met a sad fate as it was encased in black energy and exploded. Neither of them noticed the sound, however. Her response was met with another bout of silence.

"I don't think I ever had the chance," Danny began, "To thank you. For helping me out, I mean." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"It was nothing, really," she replied humbly, trying not to cave into the whirlwind of emotions sweeping through her mind.

"It was more than nothing," he said, surprised at her humility. "You practically saved my life…twice. You've taken to the time to train me when my powers went haywire. You believed in me when I wasn't quite sure I believed in myself. Even after everything I said to you and the others."

"Everyone deserves a second chance," she replied. "I just saw a lot of myself in you. I don't want anyone to go through what I went through."

"Well, it meant a lot to me, so thanks." Raven's cheeks began to glow with a pinkish hue from all the praise she was receiving.

"I was happy to help," she said. Quiet once again hung in the air between then. Raven felt her heart begin to race.

"Do you remember when my powers were going out of control yesterday," Danny continued, "and you told me to think of something to focus on?" She nodded in response. "Well I sort of have a confession to make. That thing that I was focusing on… was you." Raven's eyes widened and he face glowed even brighter. "I mean, you seem so stoic, you know? You were my anchor when my life pretty much went upside down. I'm glad to have met you."

"I…I'm not that great," she stated humbly. Another fluorescent lamp fell prey to her magic. She wasn't sure how exactly to react to all this attention.

"Don't sell yourself short," he disagreed. "You're a great person. You're so strong and centered and brave cute and …" Danny was babbling nervously now, a stream of words flying fast and furious from his mouth. It took a few moments later to realize what exactly he had said. Raven eyes widened.

"You…you think I'm cute?" Two more bulbs and a mirror in a local bathroom were added to the death toll that night. Raven had never once in her life been called cute. She had never cared before, nor did ever think it would matter if it ever happened. So to hear it now took her by surprise. Her whole body froze, as if she were unable to take in this new revelation.

"I, uh…" Danny said, mentally kicking himself for the slip of the tongue. He began to babble incoherently once again, wishing he was anywhere else but there. Fortunately for him, his wish never came true. A certain emotion inside Raven decided that enough was enough. That emotion decided to take matters into its own hands and give Raven a little nudge. Before Raven even realized it, she had closed the gap between her and Danny and pulled him into a kiss.

Danny's eyes widened in shock at her sudden boldness. The kiss was short, only lasting a few seconds, but to them both it seemed to last forever. Raven pulled back quickly, her face now absolutely crimson. "I...I-I didn't mean to… I'm so sorry!" She chided her emotions for their 'interference' but at the same time secretly thanking them for doing so. It was now her turn to prattle on, apologizing for her behavior. Danny didn't even seem to notice, as his eyes were glassed over. She was about to turn and run; her being embarrassed was an understatement. But just when she was about to flee, she was grabbed by Danny as he pulled her in for a kiss of his own.

Her eyes became as large as saucers from the shock, which slowly went away when she realized that it actually was kind of nice. She closed her eyes, taking in the feeling of their lips touching. Her body seemed to move on its own as it pressed on to his. She heard a low moaning sound, which she later recognized as her own. A sudden chill ran down her spine as they parted, both gasping for breath for what seemed like an eternity.

"Uhh…"

"Umm…"

"That was…"

"Wow…"

"Yeah."

"That was nice," Raven said which caused both of them to giggle anxiously.

"Uh huh," Danny agreed with a goofy grin plastered all over his face. She couldn't help but smile.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Uh huh." They both departed, with giddy expressions written across their faces. They both literally floated away in bliss, neither of them even aware of the lack of lighting in the hallway nor of the patch of ice that seemed to mysteriously cover the floor.

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**Author's Notes: Well, there you have it. I finally did it. Though they aren't a couple yet, the sparks have flown. What's next for the budding couple? What will the other Titans say once they find out? And will Danny be able to save Sam and Val? To find out, stay tuned. Same Funky author, same Funky story.**


	29. Chapter 28: Welcome to My Parlor

**Author's Notes: You know, writing is a funny thing. I had a nice outline done for the rest of the story. I thought that all I needed to do was follow it through and I could finally get this done and start on the sequel. Fortunately, my muses had something else in mind. This piece that this chapter starts off with is actually something I had planned to write somewhere in the next story. But my muses had other ideas. What is this scene I'm setting you up for? It's a trip into Raven's mind of course!**

**A little back ground in case you missed the TT episode "Nevermore" or are not a TT fan: like I showed with Danny earlier in the story, Raven's emotions are personified in her mind. They all look exactly like Raven, except each emotion wears a different color. Although there were quite a few shown, four of the colors were positively identified: Pink was happy, grey was timid, green was bravery and red, who was the antagonist of the episode, was rage/anger. The other colors were revealed in two other places: Cartoon Network's online card game "Orbits" and the recent Teen Titans GO! issue number 42. There is a slight discrepancy however: in the card game, orange is Raven's rudeness, yellow her knowledge, purple her love and brown her fear. While in the comic, brown was instead her uncleanly side. I'll be going with the card game representations.**

**Any who, I hope I get them right and that the comedy works here. Some things just screamed they had to be written…darn muses. Enjoy.**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 28: Welcome to my Parlor...

Raven found that sleep wasn't going to come easy, not after that… she didn't even know how to describe that moment. It was far from perfect but at the same time it was more than perfect. All those idioms, all those throw-away clichés that she didn't even bother to pay any mind to before: 'the world shaking', 'sparks flying', 'time standing still'. All of that made perfect sense to her now and yet still left her in a confused daze. Her heart was just as jittery as it was as when it happened: her first kiss.

The memory still replayed in her mind over and over, every detail still fresh: the smell of his hair, the feeling of her heart pounding along with his as their bodies pressed up against each other, the way he held her…

The sound of a statue on her shelf exploding broke her out of her reverie. She sighed at her breach of control. It was bad enough that the excitement had her sleepless but now her powers were running amok as well. How was she going to teach Danny about control if she couldn't control herself? She knew that her regular meditation routine wasn't going to cut it; that hadn't been working all week. No, this time she would have to turn to a more direct approach. She got up to her wardrobe, hoping that she didn't already accidentally detonate what she was looking for. Breathing a sigh of relief, she lifted the object in question: a small, innocuous looking mirror. Preparing herself for the trip, she looked directly into the reflective surface, which began to glow ominously in response. A flash of light later and Raven's room was suddenly vacant.

Raven landed with an 'oof' on her now sore bottom. She knew the trip into the realm of her mind was always rough, but she thought she had become used to the wild ride. She attributed the rough trip to the currently turbulent nature of her mind at the moment. After rubbing the pain out of her posterior, she noticed that she wasn't in the normally sparse landscape that usually greeted her. Instead, there was a sprawling grassland, dotted with trees. Instead of being green, however, much of the grass and trees were an unnatural shade of pink. The skyline was also yellow, instead of the blue most people would be accustomed to. Raven groaned, realizing where exactly she was.

"Ravie's here!" she heard a cheery voice say. Before she could even utter word, a pink blur rammed into the sorceress. After catching her breath, Raven looked down to find … herself, or rather a pink version of herself, firmly latched upon her waist. "You finally made it!" the personification of her happiness cried with a giggle.

"Happy, can you…" Raven asked with a sigh. The emotion, noticing the hint, complied, disentangling herself from Raven.

"I'm sorry, but I was just so happy to see you! Get it? Happy?" Happy fell into a fit of giggles at her own joke, causing Raven to raise an eyebrow, though she felt a smile creep up onto her face. The pink emotion suddenly grabbed Raven's arm and proceeded to drag the girl over a hill. "Come on, slow poke! Everybody is waiting for you!" Raven allowed herself to be manhandled, curious to where her happiness was taking her. She soon found out as they came to the top of the hill; under a tree at the other side, many, if not all of Raven's emoti-clones were having a party of sorts. "It was my idea!" Happy continued, "Everyone is here. Even frumpy old knowledge showed up!"

"I heard that," a Raven donned in yellow responded. Knowledge, like the rest of the emotions, looked exactly like Raven, save for the difference in color and the large, round glasses that covered her eyes and pretty much half of her face. "Looks like the guest of honor has finally arrived."

"It's about damn time," Rude exclaimed. This Raven was clad in orange and was currently taking a swig of what Raven hoped was merely punch. Rude then proceeded to emit a loud belch, which caught the attention of the rest of the emotions. "What?" she asked defiantly, as it she did nothing wrong.

"I'm assuming all this is for…" Raven asked, not completing the sentence.

"What do you think, silly?" Happy replied with a giggle. "The kiss, of course!"

"Man, that was kickass!" the green colored Brave bellowed. "We need to do that more often!"

"Of course, you didn't come here to necessarily celebrate, now did you?" Knowledge commented perceptively. Raven nodded in confirmation.

"I have a hunch that one of you decided to give me a nudge," Raven declared. "I'm not mad, I'm just curious on who it was." She focused her attention on Brave, who raised her hands in denial.

"Don't look at me!" the emerald emotion refuted. "Even I didn't have the guts to do that."

"Then who was it?" Raven pushed. The other emotions didn't say anything; instead they let their eyes do the talking. Most of them glanced towards a rock a few feet from the tree they currently were under. Perched upon said rock was a Raven emoti-clone, dressed in purple. She seemed to have a rather goofy, distant look on her face as she stared off into space. Raven had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things, as there were purple violet hearts that seemed to be floating around her as she sighed contently. Spotting Raven at the corner of her eye, she broke out of her daze and floated towards the sorceress.

"Raven!" Love greeted, grinning widely, "Wasn't that kiss so…" she finished the sentence with another sigh as more hearts appeared. Raven raised an eyebrow.

"It was you?" she asked, for some reason she knew she shouldn't have been surprised.

"You weren't going to do anything," Love answered, "And besides, wasn't it worth it?" Raven turned away, a blush beginning to bloom across her cheeks. "Danny…he's so dreamy…"

"And he knows how to kick some serious butt!" Brave added enthusiastically, punching the air for emphasis.

"And he's funny, too," Happy continued, once again laughing like a school girl.

"There seems to be a consensus," Knowledge noted.

"But what if he hurts us," one of the sisters said with a somewhat anxious tone. The others turned to the speaker, who was dressed on brown. Realizing that all eyes were on her, she quickly scurried behind another emotion, this one in grey. Fear peaked her head out from behind Timid, who looked even less thrilled of her newfound attention.

"Fear is right," Timid stuttered shyly, "Wha-what if he stops liking us? What if he's like Malchior?" The mention of that name caused Raven to wince. It also was followed by an almost feral growl that came from the base of the tree. A crimson colored Rage was the source of the unpleasant response. Her four eyes glowed red from under her hood.

"Malchior," Rage seethed, "If it wasn't for the fact that he was banished to that blasted book, I'd rip out his heart and feed it to him." The others blanched at the mental picture.

"Ewww," Happy said with a face.

"Danny's not like him!" Love countered with a look of determination on her face. "Danny would never hurt us like that. At least, I don't think he would," she continued with a little less conviction.

"Well, they do say love is blind," Rude said with a chuckle, followed by another burp. Love responded by crossing her arms and giving Rude some dirty looks.

"Now, now ladies," Knowledge chimed in, hoping to deal with any confrontations. Knowledge wasn't an emotion per se, but was an important part of Raven nonetheless. She always seemed to be the one who kept things from getting out of hand amongst the sisters. "No need to get snippy. We can resolve this in a logical fashion."

"Logic has nothing to do with it!" Love said with a fire burning in her eyes. "We like him and he likes us. That's all that matters." Her face softened slightly. "That and he has a pretty cute butt." The other sisters, including Raven herself, stared at the purple clad emotion in disbelief, though the red glow that appeared on most of their cheeks showed that they all somewhat agreed with the bold statement.

Raven examined the scene before her. The fact that she could see the different sides of her like this gave her a unique perspective, one she often wondered was more of a curse rather than a blessing. She took in all of their points, most of which were valid ones. After a few moments of thought while her other selves were arguing, she finally spoke, "I think it was worth it," she said, catching the attention of her other sides. I also think that Starfire was right. There's always a risk when it comes to love. But then again, we're in a job that requires a lot of risk." The others slowly nodded in agreement. She turned towards Fear and Timid, "I know you guys are worried and I knew you…we don't want to get hurt again. But I think the risk is worth taking. I can't let fear keep running my life… no offense."

"Does that mean we get to kiss him again?" Love asked hopefully. This drew a smile from Raven.

"I have a feeling we're going to have a lot of kissing in our future," There were hoots and hollers in reply to this news. "Now, that that's settled, can you guys please clam down. Your little shindig is stopping me from sleeping, not to mention doing a good job of demolishing the tower."

"We'll see what we can do," Knowledge answered. Raven nodded in reply before turning to make her way back. "Ravie?" some one called, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to find Happy, who had an uncharacteristic shy look on her face. "I was wondering if maybe you could bring Danny over some time to play?" Raven smiled.

"I don't think he'd mind," she replied before continuing with her exit.

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Despite getting little to no sleep, Danny woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning. Truth be told, the thought of training with Raven as well as their little make out session was the cause of his insomnia. What little sleep he did get that night was filled with dreams of the kiss. He sighed as the memories flooded his mind once again. Another sappy look (not the first since last night and probably not the last) appeared on his face. In truth, he wasn't exactly sure whether or not last night wasn't just a dream resulting from his sister's teasing. Remembering that he shared a room with her, he was relieved to find Jazz fast asleep in her bed across the room. The last thing he needed was for her to find him daydreaming.

A grin soon appeared on his face as he decided that that now was a perfectly good opportunity to investigate the veracity. Turning intangible he quietly phased through the wall into the hallway. He used his power of invisibility to creep through the tower unnoticed, until he finally reached his destination: Raven's room. His heart's rhythm began to increase it's tempo as he stared at the door for a few moments. He lifted his hand up, ready to strike the door, but he hesitated, trying hard to work up the nerve in order to do so.

Before he even found the chance, the door slid open. A hand quickly darted out, grabbing his still invisible form and then dragged him into the room. He soon found his lips pressed against those of Raven's. He finally faded into view, a look of shock on his face. His expression soon relaxed as the kiss continued until they both withdrew to catch their breaths. "Wow," was all that Danny could muster.

"We're going to have to work on your vocabulary," Raven said with a smirk. Danny chuckled softly.

"How did you know I was even out there," Danny asked curiously.

"I'm empathic, remember?" she pointed out, "And besides, I was kind of hoping you'd show up."

"Let me guess: you weren't quite sure if last night was real or not?"

"It did seem too good to be true," she concurred, "But I'm glad it was real."

"Have you told anyone yet?" he asked.

"Not really," she answered. "Starfire probably knows since she's the one who sort of encouraged me. I actually would rather the others not find out yet. Not until after this whole ghost thing is resolved."

"I know the feeling," the ghost boy agreed. "I can only imagine all the teasing Jazz would have me go through. And then there's my mom…"

Raven found herself chuckling at his predicament. Her face softened slightly as she looked down warily. "Are we still up for training today?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Danny confirmed. "And maybe afterwards … I could take you somewhere?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" she asked coyly.

"I do believe I am," he replied. "But before that…" he bent down to give her another kiss, while Raven closed her eyes in anticipation. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, interrupting their tender moment.

"Good morning, Raven!" a cheery Starfire called from the hallway, "I wish to speak with you. May I enter?" Raven opened her eyes suddenly, only to find that Danny was nowhere to be seen. Composing herself, she turned to the door.

"Uh, sure. Just give me a sec, Star," Raven replied as she keyed the door open. Raven noticed that Starfire seemed a bit more enthusiastic than usual.

"Raven! I can no longer be patient! I wish to hear of your experience last night!" Starfire's face briefly changed from excitement to worry, "You did confess your feelings to friend Phantom, no?"

"Not out loud, Star," Raven hissed as she dragged her friend into the room and locked the door behind them. "And yes, something did…happen."

"Glorious! You must enlighten me! Did you tell him how you felt? Did he return you affections? Was there the making out?"

Raven tried to make up her mind on whether or not to tell Starfire the truth; or at least the whole truth. It didn't help that her friend was staring at her with large green eyes filled to the brim with curiosity. "Yes to all of the above," she finally confessed. Starfire squeed in delight before embracing Raven. Raven could have sworn she heard a chuckle from somewhere in the room.

"I am so happy for you!" the Tamaranian girl exclaimed with glee. "We must do the double dating! I shall be honored to take you to the mall of shopping so we may look for something appropriate to wear. And then we can do the hair arranging maneuvers and…"

"Starfire," Raven interrupted, "as much as I would like to make plans and everything, I sort of need to… do my early morning meditation." The pause was from her trying to find a quick excuse. "We can talk about this later, Star."

"I understand," Starfire replied with a sparkle in her eye, "I did not mean to disturb you. I will see you later, Raven." The alien girl made her way to the door. "And I bid you farewell as well, friend Phantom." And with that, she was gone. Danny once again faded into view, with a very perplexed look on his face.

"How did she…?" he asked. Raven had an equally bewildered look. Before she could reply, a loud klaxon bellowed throughout the tower. At the same moment, Danny's mouth emitted a cloud of blue mist, an indication his ghost sense had gone off. "Looks like we have a guest," he declared. The both hurried to the tower's common room to find some answers.

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"Status report!" Robin called as he entered the common room. Cyborg was already at one of the computer stations, checking the scanners for anything out of the ordinary.

"Ghost scanner is picking something up," Cyborg informed.

"How many?" the boy wonder asked as he looked along side his second in command. A whoosh from the doors told him some of the others were rushing in.

"Only one," Cyborg said in disbelief, "Right in front of the tower. Hey Mrs. F, can you give me a hand?" Maddie complied as she reviewed the sensors for herself.

"He's right," she concurred, "It's only that one signature. Nothing else within miles. It's also one we've fought before…"

"Valara," Danny interrupted as he entered the room, with Raven not too far behind, "I can definitely tell it's her."

"Got her on one of the cameras," the cybernetic titan called as the screen changed to the view of one of their surveillance devices. Indeed floating there above the rocks of Titan's island was the red-headed ghost, Valara. She wore a wide grin on her face and waved, as if she could see the camera that was filming her.

"Something isn't right," Robin commented, "This is some sort of trap." Both Danny and Raven silently agreed. Danny could feel a cold chill at the pit of his stomach, and was sure it wasn't his powers acting up. The Titan's leader pondered on the situation before speaking again. "Mrs. Fenton, keep an eye on the scanners. Make sure we don't get any sneak attacks when the ghost shield is lowered. Everyone else, follow me. We'll surround her and hopefully we'll be able to find out what she wants." With that order give, the rest of the Titans filed out. Danny opted to phase through the wall to get outside. Jazz decided to stay with her mother and help track any potential threats.

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Valara Pyre smiled as she watched the dome of green energy that surrounded the tower flicker out of existence. She had managed to catch their attention. The next few moments were going to be crucial to her plan. She had no doubt, however that everything would go as she intended. Her smile widened as she saw him descend: her Danny. His hand was already lit with ectoplasm, pointing straight at her; a detail she was sure would change very soon. Moments later, a black mass of energy appeared next to Danny, which disappeared revealing Raven. Raven eyed the ghost carefully, her dark magic crackling in her hands.

Valara soon found herself surrounded by the Titans, as well as Jack Fenton. All of them were at the ready for battle, eyeing the ghost carefully for any sudden moves. "I seem to be quite popular today," she commented with a smirk.

"What do you want?" Raven asked first, he eyes flashing white.

"I have nothing to say to you," the ghost replied with a sneer, "I do, however, have a message for Phantom." She gave a wink to Danny that caused Raven to growl under her breath.

"Then talk," Danny insisted, "We don't have all day."

"Very well, then. I wish to make a proposal. Something that you'll find very interesting."

"If it's that same deal your father made to me the other day, then I'm not interested," Danny retorted.

"Oh, no," she dismissed, "This one is far more intriguing. You see, you have something that we want. And we have something that you want…"

"I seriously doubt that."

"Are you sure?" she asked with fake innocence, "Because we seem to have found a few things that may belong to you. Or should I say a few people…" The cold feeling Danny had felt before turned into an icy glacier. "You may know who I'm speaking of: a Samantha Manson and a Valerie Grey? They're friends of yours, are they not?"

The effect of her words was almost instantaneous. Before anyone of them could even blink, Danny had closed the gap between himself and the vixen of a ghost. He grasped her shoulders, his eyes looking deathly serious as he spoke, "Where are they?" He was so enraged that he failed to notice the red smoke that wafted from her mouth and into his.

"Now, now, Danny," Valara chided, "Although at any other time, I'd enjoy being manhandled by you, doing so now would be detrimental to their safety." Danny reluctantly let go, using all of his self-restraint to hold back. "You see, Daddy is still quite cross with you for the fight the other day. He's very eager to take out his frustrations on just about anything…or anyone. I've been able to hold him back for now, but the longer I stay here, the more your friends are in danger."

"What do you want?" Danny snarled. She smiled again.

"Like I said before, we all have something that we want," she explained. "You want your friends. Daddy wants his book. And I… well," she leaned forward, cooing into his ear, "I want you. Two for two: I think that's a fair trade, don't you? Of course, you don't have to make a decision now, but I suggest you decide soon. I'm not too sure how long I can keep them safe." She blew a kiss as she kicked off. Not one of the Titans made a move to stop her as she ascended. "Tata! I know you'll make the right decision."

Raven watched as Danny just stood there after Valara had disappeared. His fists were clenched tightly and were shaking violently. His breath was ragged and irregular. "Danny, I..." she began as she tried to place a hand on his shoulder. Her comforting touch merely passed through him as the ghostly hero went intangible and flew back towards the tower. Everyone gave him clearance as he left, not uttering a word to stop him.

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"So, what's the game plan?" Beast Boy asked. Everyone was now back in the tower's common room, minus Danny, who was at the moment no where to be seen. They were currently weighing their options after the recent revelation.

"Right now, there's nothing we really can do," Robin answered sternly.

"You're kidding, right?" Cyborg objected, "They have hostages! We have to do something."

"That's exactly why we can't do anything, at least not yet," the boy wonder countered. "We have no clue on where they are keeping Danny's friends. And we can't give them the book. We don't even know what it does, but if they want it that badly, putting it in there hands is like pouring gasoline over a fire."

"So that's it?" an irate voice called from the doorway. Danny walked in, clearly quite agitated. "We're going to just give up?"

"I didn't say that," Robin countered. "This is obviously a trap. We can't just go charging in. And we can't let them have you or the book."

"At the moment I couldn't care less about me or that crappy book," Danny seethed. Raven watched off by the side, ready to step in if things got out of hand. In truth, she knew exactly how Danny felt; all of them did. It was one of the oldest tricks in the book: using a loved one as bait. Almost all of the titans had been subject to it at one time or another. Even Raven's father had used it against her in order to coax her into doing his bidding. Her experience told her that Danny's current emotional state was only going to cloud his judgment. She watched as he continued his heated tirade, "All I care about is that my friends are safe." He snorted derisively, "You know what? I don't need your help, anyway. They're my responsibility. I'll let you worry about saving the world. I'll worry about my friends." And with that, the livid ghost boy walked out.

"Danny, wait!" Raven called as she followed after him. The others were stunned to silence by Phantom's outburst. The Fentons all had worried looks from the current situation, Jazz especially.

"Is there nothing else we can do?" Starfire asked anxiously. "I believe we all know how Phantom is feeling right now, you more than anyone else."

"That's why we have to be careful," Robin said, "If we do anything stupid, we'll only fall into the enemy's hands. I'm sure Raven will be able to calm him down."

"I do hope you are correct, Robin," she replied, the worry never leaving her face.

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"That bitch!" Valara hollered as she paced back and forth. Though she did well to hide it during their meeting, she felt something was off the moment Danny had arrived. Raven's aura was all over him, like a foul stench that wouldn't go away. "How dare she touch MY Danny!" she continued, he eyes glowing yellow from rage. She knew that she didn't really have a reason to worry. The seeds she had planted inside Danny were already taking root. The spell that she had cast, in the form of her signature red smoke would soon take it's toll on him, enhancing the emotions she had brought up during their encounter. She knew it would be only a matter of time before Danny would come to her in order to save his friends, even if it meant betraying that slut and the rest of the Titans in the process.

Valara was finally able to calm herself down. Now was not the time to let her anger get the better of her. Things were going smoothly thus far. She had to make preparations for Danny's arrive. Once he was here, she would have all the time in the world to persuade him to love her. Chuckling under her breath, she went off to make her plan a success.

* * *

**AN: Well, the crap has hit the fan yet again. That devious little vixen, Valara, has played her hand. Will Danny fall for her trap? Will the Titans find a way to save Sam and Valerie? Will Raven be able to stop Danny from making another stupid mistake? Well, only one way to find out! See you next time, same funky story, new funky chapter :p**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	30. Chapter 29: Promises, Promises

**Author's Notes: Previously on Haunted Destiny, Raven took a trip through the looking glass into her mind, to try and calm things down. What she finds is a get together by her emotions to celebrate her kiss, which has knocked quite a few socks off. A debate erupts among the emotions on whether Danny would hurt them like Malchior had. Raven decides that it's worth the risk.**

**The next morning, Danny decides to sneak up to Raven's room. They do some smooching, but are interrupted by Starfire, who wants all the juicy details of last night. The good morning is shattered when Valara appears. She makes it known that she has Sam and Valara, which sends Danny in a tizzy. Her proposal: trading the two for the book and Danny himself. Robin wants to play it safe, which angers Danny; he's ready and willing to do anything to save his friends. **

**Will Danny make the worst mistake of his life? Will Raven be able to stop him? Will Valara get Danny as her own? Stay Tuned…**

* * *

Haunted Destiny Chapter 29: Promises were Meant to be Broken…

"Danny!" Raven called as she chased her quasi-boyfriend through the hallways of Titan's Tower. The sorceress was having a hard time keeping up with him; if it wasn't for her empathic powers, she would have surely lost him already. His turbulent emotions shone brightly, like a lighthouse in a stormy night, making him easy to track. She hoped that she would be able to help him calm down. "Danny, wait!" she called again, hoping her words would reach him. She watched as he finally slowed down to a stop, though his state of mind hadn't changed. The anguish he was emitting was overwhelming; as she watched his shoulders shake. He stayed like this for a few moments, his back facing her.

"Damn it!" he cried out as he pulled back his fist. It suddenly was lit with green energy as it flew, connecting into a nearby wall. His outburst caught her by surprise as she jumped back. Her eyes widened at the smoldering dent that resulted from the impact. "This is all my fault," he continued.

"Danny, that's not true," she tried to console. She took a few steps forward, hoping to close the gap between them, though somehow Raven felt that the emotional gap would be harder close than the physical one.

"How the hell isn't it my fault?" he asked vehemently, "They went after them because of me! I should have been there. I should have been protecting them…"

"You couldn't have known," Raven said, as she finally reached his side. She placed a hand on his shoulder, this time glad she was met with a solid object instead of just air. "No one would have thought this would happen. You can't blame yourself."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" he asked, frustration clearly in his voice, "They're my responsibility! I need to do something! Why the hell do I have these stupid powers if I can't even use them! I can't just wait around while who knows what happens to them."

"All we can do now is wait," Raven said, hiding the reluctance in her voice. "I know that's not what you want to hear, but that's the only choice we have. I promise that we'll try our best to find a way to save them." He hand reached his face, cupping it gently. "Just promise me you won't do anything rash till then." She looked into his eyes, hoping she had stopped him from making the biggest mistake of his life. She could tell that she had put him on the spot, as he tried to look away from her gaze. His eyes mirrored his conflicted emotions on the matter. "Danny," she said in a more firmer tone, "Promise me you'll wait for us to think of something. Please." She had put a great deal of emotion into that last word, almost pleading with him.

His shoulders dropped in defeat as he nodded, the fight leaving his body. She smiled; relieved she was finally able to get him to clear his mind. "I… I'd like to be alone for while," he meekly asked, "I need some time to think." Raven felt a conflict rise in her mind. She wanted to stay with him, partly to keep an eye on him but mostly just to be there. But at the same time, she knew he still needed some time to cool his head on his own. She reluctantly nodded.

"We'll get through this, Danny," she said reassuringly as she walked away. She never noticed the brief flash of red from Danny's eyes that quickly faded as soon as it appeared; nor did she also hear the apology that he whispered under his breath.

APAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAP

Tucker Foley grunted as the sound of his cell phone woke him from his blissful slumber. He always took advantage of the school-free days of summer by sleeping in late, something he could never do on a school day. He tried to ignore the incessant chirping until he couldn't take any more of it. He lazily scooped up the phone and squinted to make out the name in the Caller-ID. Seeing that it came from the Manson residence, he decided to answer.

"This better be good, Sam," he half slurred, sleep still fighting to overtake him.

"Mr. Foley," he heard a stern, male voice say; definitely not Sam. His head shot up as slumber washed off him and alertness took over.

"Mr. Manson," he replied to Sam's father, wondering why he was calling so early in the morning. It was only 10:30am, "How can I help you, sir?

"You can start by telling me where my daughter is," the older man asked with authority in his voice. Tucker flinched at his demanding tone, a bad feeling tugging away at him.

"Sam?" the techno geek asked, "I haven't seen her since yesterday morning, sir. Did something happen?"

"She never came home," Sam's father replied, fatherly concern leaking unintentionally. "She went out yesterday morning to see you, but she never returned last night." His voice suddenly became harder as he continued. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, Mr. Foley?"

"No, sir!" Tucker almost squeaked. He coughed before continuing. "Like I said before, she came over to try and get me to eat breakfast with her, but I didn't go. I haven't heard from her since. I promise I'll let you know if I hear something, Mr. Manson."

"You do that," the concerned father replied before hanging up. Tucker sighed, releasing all the tension that had built up from that phone call. His mind was racing, trying to figure out how to proceed. It wasn't like Sam to just up and disappear like that, especially when she was in a good mood like she was yesterday. The boy quickly jumped out of bed, grasping his cell phone as he headed to his desk. He pulled up her cell on speed dial and was greeted with her voicemail. That meant one of two things: her phone was either dead or out of range of a tower. Neither explanation brought him any comfort, nor did they narrow down where she was.

"Where the heck are you, Sam?" he wondered out loud. He stared at the phone again. He had to call him. He knew Danny would probably blow a fuse once he learned that Sam was missing, but Tucker had to risk it. She might have contacted Danny one way or another. Nodding, he dialed Danny up and waited for a reply.

"Hello," he heard his friend say. Tucker could feel something was off; his voice seemed almost lost.

"Hey, Danny," Tucker said, "It's me, Tucker…"

"Tuck?!" Danny asked almost too enthusiastically, "Tucker, are you alright?"

Tucker frowned at Danny's reaction, not quite sure on how to respond to it; it was almost as if he sounded relieved, "I'm fine. Listen, man, I was wondering if you heard anything from Sam recently. Her dad almost bit my heard off a few minutes ago because he hasn't seen her since yesterday." Tucker could hear a loud sigh on the other end.

"They have her, Tuck," he heard his friend reply sadly. "They have her and Valerie."

"Who has her?" Tucker asked, clearly alarmed, "And Valerie? What's going on, Danny?"

"The ghosts that we're fighting," he said dejectedly, "They kidnapped them to get to me. If I don't give myself up, they'll…" he let the sentence hang there.

"Oh, man," Tucker exclaimed in disbelief, the gravity of the situation sinking in. He could hear the conflict in Danny's voice.

"This is why didn't want you guys hanging around me!" the ghost boy exploded, "If anything happened to any of you, I'd…I don't know what I'd do."

"So, what are you going to do, man?" Tucker asked, "You know I got your back." He waited patiently for Danny's reply. After for what seemed like hours, Danny finally spoke.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes," he said coldly. Tucker was taken aback by the tone of his voice. He called out Danny's name, but the line had already been cut.

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Raven sighed as she walked aimlessly through the tower, completely lost in thought. Her thoughts revolved around Danny's current situation. She wished she could do something to ease the gash that openly bled in his heart. He was in so much pain right now and Raven wasn't exactly sure what she should do to help. The whole relationship thing was still very new to the empathy. Was it wrong for her to leave him alone? Would it have been better if she stayed and tried to comfort him?

She also felt a tug at her own heart. Something was… off. She couldn't quite place it, but she couldn't help feel that she was missing something in all this. She also felt an emotion she hadn't felt in quite a long time: jealousy. She growled under her breath as she thought about how Valara was eyeing Danny; as if her were merely a piece of meat. Raven was never the jealous type. Actually, that wasn't necessarily true, as her mind wandered to that particular blonde Titan-turned-traitor from the Titan's past. Raven would never really admit it to anyone, but for a time, she was jealous at how easily Terra had been assimilated into their lives, and how easily the others accepted her, despite all the warning signs. She thought that she had put the supposed green-eyed monster behind her (and she wasn't talking about Beast Boy), but here it was once again rearing its ugly head.

Aside from that, she was also a bit curious about Danny's friends. The only thing she knew about Sam was what she saw in that memory in his mind. She knew that they were close, which somehow bothered her. She knew even less about Valerie, which was pretty much nothing. She momentarily felt a pang of envy, which she quickly shook away. She couldn't be jealous of them, could she? That was silly. So Danny had a past and friends before her. That should bother her, should it?

She entered the common room, which was now currently empty, save for one person: Danny's sister, Jazz. Raven could tell instantly she was trying to get her mind off things: though she seemed engrossed by the book in front of her, Jazz's eyebrow was furrowed with worry. Raven thought that the girl probably wanted to be alone, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. Fortunately for her, it seemed that Jazz noticed her presence. She looked up from her book and smiled at the hero.

"Raven," she said with a nervous smile. The two had never directly spoken before, so Raven understood her apprehension. "How is my brother doing?"

"He's cooled down a bit, I think," Raven reported. "He just needs some time to collect his thoughts." Jazz nodded, accepting Raven's analysis.

"Thank you, by the way," Jazz continued, "Not only for that but for everything. You always seem to be there to help him." Raven once again found herself flushed from the sudden praise.

"It was nothing," she replied humbly.

"Were you the one?" the red-head queried. Raven, had a befuddled look on her face. "Where you the one who kicked some sense into him the other day after Skulker attacked? He didn't want to tell me what happened, but I definitely noticed the change." Raven simply nodded.

"We...talked. I knew a thing or two about what he was going through. I'm glad I was able to help him out in time."

"You know, I'm sort of jealous," Jazz confessed, "I mean, you were able to do in a few days what I couldn't do in a year. Sometimes I wish the whole 'having a superhero for a brother' thing came with a set of instructions." Raven chuckled at the remark. She then collected herself as she readied her question.

"Jazz, I was wondering," she started, "If you could tell me about Danny's friends. I mean the ones that the ghosts kidnapped."

"Curious?" Jazz teased. Raven nodded.

"I can tell they mean a lot to him."

"That's the understatement of the century," Jazz snorted. "I don't think even he realizes how much he relies on them. Sam, Tucker and Danny were pretty much inseparable, up until last year. They did everything together. Even after Danny became Phantom and got his powers, they were always behind him, mostly to give him backup. All three of them balanced each other out. They always supported each other, which is why Danny became so lost when he tried to push them away." Raven took this information thoughtfully.

"What about Valerie?" the sorceress asked. She could see the discomfort in Jazz's face.

"Valerie is…hard to explain," she said after a moment's pause. "The relationship Danny has with her is a bit… complicated."

"How so?" Raven asked, pushing aside the twinge of envy that didn't seem to go away.

"Well, you see, Valerie is a girl from Danny's school," Jazz began to explain, "She was one of the more popular ones in Danny's class, up until a ghost attack at her Dad's job. He was head of security at a lab in Amity Park when a ghost dog sort of wrecked havoc. Because of the attack, her father lost his job and she lost her status at the school. Danny was involved, of course, so she pretty much vented her anger onto him. It didn't help that one of Danny's enemies provided her with ghost hunting equipment." Raven's eyes widened.

"She hunted him?" she asked.

"Almost fanatically," Jazz confirmed. "She got really good really fast and kept Danny on his toes for quite a while. Then after the whole ghost invasion with Pariah Dark, she still hated Danny Phantom but sort of developed a crush on Danny Fenton. After that, they sort of dated for a while." Jazz noticed the look on Raven's face. "Trust me; we all thought it was a bad idea, Sam especially. Danny always figured that if he could get her to like Phantom that he could eventually tell her about his secret identity. Sam thought he was crazy to even think he could change her. Sam was always overprotective of Danny like that."

"You said it was for a while, though," Raven noted. "Did he break up with her?"

"She dumped him," Jazz replied, "Ironically, for the same reason he tried to push Sam and Tucker away. She felt that he was in danger from ghosts as long as they were together. If she only knew the ghost she was protecting him from was himself."

"Do you think he still likes her?" Raven asked without thinking. She looked down; afraid of the answer she might be given. She knew she didn't have to worry. Danny had chosen, hadn't he?

"I'm not sure," Jazz admitted. "I know Danny feels responsible for what happened to her dad, even if it wasn't completely his fault. I also think might of wanted her to join him and Sam and Tucker. I think he just mostly wants her to accept both his ghost and human sides."

'Get a grip, Raven,' she told herself. So he has a history with this girl. It didn't mean he still liked her, did it? Something suddenly clicked in the back of her mind as the part that didn't feel right revealed itself. "Why didn't they kidnap Tucker?"

"What?" Jazz said, confused.

"According to Valara, the Pyres kidnapped Sam and Valerie, but they didn't touch Tucker. Why?" Jazz's eyes lit up with apprehension. Before she could answer, his cell phone rang. Fishing it out of her pocket, she noticed who it was.

"Hello, Tucker?" she answered. "We were just talking about you…"

"Is Danny alright?" he suddenly interrupted.

"Why do you ask?" she queried with confusion and worry in her voice.

"I just got off the phone with him," the boy explained. "He told about what happened to Sam and Valerie. But he was acting strange. When I asked him what was the plan was for getting them back, he told me he was going to 'whatever it takes' in a tone that totally freaked me out."

"Wait, are you sure he said that?" she asked as her eyes widened, "That he was going to do whatever it takes?"

"I wouldn't have called you otherwise," he confirmed. "I'm worried about him, Jazz. Something is definitely going on."

"Thanks a lot for letting me know, Tuck," she replied, sounding to hide her anxiety, "I'll let you know if anything happens." She hung up her phone and mentally ran though what Tucker had just said. "He wouldn't…would he?"

Raven, who had been listening it suddenly felt as if somebody hit her in the gut. She grabbed her communicator, activating it so it would reach out to all the Titans in the tower, "Everyone, meet me at the vault room, now!" she called before, deactivating it. Without even thinking, she grabbed Jazz and teleported them to the entrance of the vault room, where they kept the book. She hoped their worries were unfounded.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The moment they arrived, they noticed the door, although showed no signs of tampering, was wide open. Raven didn't have to look to know that the book was missing as well. She heard the other Titans as well as the Fentons arrive and gasp at the scene before them.

"That idiot," Raven muttered quietly to herself. Only Jazz overheard her, her brow furrowing even further.

"How was the door opened without setting off the alarm?" Jazz asked as the shock wore off, "Cyborg told me that nothing could get in there without anyone knowing. Not only that, but there should be ghost shielding on the walls. It should be ghost proof."

"Only Cyborg and I have the authorization to open the vault," Robin stated. He examined the keypad next to the door. Punching a few buttons, he frowned. "According to the log, the last person to open the door was…Cyborg?"

"Where is Cy anyway?" Beast Boy commented, after realizing his friend wasn't there. Robin took out his communicator and attempted to contact his teammate. After receiving no reply, he activated its tracking program.

"He's on the roof," he said as he headed towards the stairs as the others followed. They reached the roof of the tower in no time as each of them surveyed the area.

"I have found Cyborg!" Starfire cried out as she kneeled beside his still form. "Please friend, are you alright?" He stirred before waking up with a start.

"What happened?" he asked drowsily.

"We were hoping you'd tell us," Robin asked, even though he had a hunch.

"Well I was in my lab, checking up on a few things when Danny showed up. I told him I was sorry about his friends. And then he apologized to me for no reason. The next thing I remember is that I'm up here."

"Danny… he must have overshadowed him," Jazz said, a look of horror clearly on her face. Robin nodded as his suspicions were confirmed. He had a feeling Danny would react this way, though he had hoped he was wrong.

"That…idiot," Raven repeated louder this time. The others turned to the sorceress, who had an unreadable look on her face. All of them flinched from the intense pain they heard in her voice, "He promised me he wouldn't do this. He promised…" A powerful wind suddenly flared up, nearly blowing everyone over, except for Raven, whose cloak spread out in the wind like a pair of wings. A blinding white light replaced her violet eyes as her formed changed to that of a large bird made of black energy. The bird took flight and shot into the night.

"RAVEN! Starfire called out to her friend, but she was already gone. The Fentons gaped at the display of power they had just witnessed. Robin watched in the directly she flew grimly.

"She needs back-up," Robin declared. They're both headed into a trap. We need to get there before anything bad happens. Titans, GO!" And with that order, Robin jumped off the roof of the tower, grabbing hold of Starfire who had anticipated his move. Beast Boy transformed into a pterodactyl, and then grabbed hold of Cyborg's shoulders with his feet. They lifted off, following their teammates to who knows where.

"We're going, too," Maddie Fenton declared as she turned to head back inside. Jack followed after his wife, as well as Jazz, who starred in the direction everyone had headed. She wondered if everything would be alright and if they would reach her brother in time. She shook her head and went after her parents.

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"I'll do whatever it takes," he heard himself say as he hung up from talking to his friend. Danny meant every word. That smoldering feeling he felt when he had heard Sam and Valerie were I danger once again intensified as the need to do something grew within his heart.

"If you really, believe that, you know what to do," he heard a voice say. He recognized it instantly, and yet somehow it didn't matter. The disembodied voice was right: he knew exactly what to do. Without thinking about the consequences, his plan went into motion. Moments later he found himself flying over the city, book in hand and a determined look on his face. "You're almost there, my dear," he heard the voice coo as he flew. He wanted to ignore it, but at the moment it was the only lead he had to his friends. He was doing this for them, wasn't he? Yes, that had to be it. He had to do whatever it took to save them, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

'What about his promise?' he heard another voice say. Didn't he promise Raven that he wouldn't do anything like this? Wasn't he betraying people that had given him another chance? People that trusted him? Wasn't he betraying his family? His friends?

"They'll get over it," she said again, hoping to ease his troubled mind, "You're doing this to save your friends, to be a hero. They'll understand…" Danny knew it was a lie. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that this was wrong. That his excuses were flimsy and he was probably walking into a trap. But that didn't matter that the moment. What mattered was that he was doing something to help his friends, wasn't it? He shook his head as the red, smoky haze continued to cloud his mind.

"Don't think about it; just do it," the voice continued. "You're doing this for them, remember? Just come to me and I'll make it all better."

Danny flew until he spotted his destination: a three story book store in the downtown area. He immediately spotted the tear in space time that lead to the ghost zone. Around that, he could see some familiar faces: Walker and his numerous cronies. He frowned at the fact that Sam and Valerie were nowhere to be seen, but descended anyway, as the voice told him he didn't have a choice.

Meanwhile in the ghost zone, Valara Pyre opened her eyes and smiled.

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**AN: Duh Duh Duuuuuh. Danny's making a baaad decision and Raven doesn't look to happy about it. Will Raven be able to show up in time? Or will Valara get Danny as her plaything? And what ever happened to Xanthus? Well, only one way to find out. See you next time!**

**-Your Friendly Neighborhood Funkatron**


	31. Chapter 30: Lucky Break

**Author's Notes: Sorry this took forever to get out. I had to re-write a section of the chapter a couple of times. That and I just finished the process of moving from Miami, FL to Dallas, TX. Needless to say, I was busy for a bit. I'll hopefully have another chapter after this in a couple of days. **

**Anywho, on with the story…**

**Edit: I just did some major proofreading, something I should have done to begin with. Hopefully I got all of the typos. **

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Haunted Destiny 30: Lucky Break

The sun had begun to set by the time Danny had reached his destination. The city had begun its nightlife, though it seemed abnormally quiet in the area. The moment Danny landed; the tension hit him like a ton of bricks. He looked around at the fellow occupants of roof. There were eight of them, not including their leader, Walker. All of the ghosts held their glowing nightsticks tightly as they eyed the halfa cautiously. None of them dared to let their guard down; they all knew how tricky Phantom could be.

Danny's eyes stopped scanning once they reached Walker. The white ghost gave a suspicious look, though his lips wore a devilish grin. The two stared at each other for a few moments, their muscles tense and ready for anything. Out of all of Danny's ghostly adversaries, Walker, the self imposed law enforcement of the Ghost Zone, was one of the most troublesome. Breaking any of his rules, regardless of whether you knew them or not, resulted in harsh punishment, which more often than not was an excessively long time of incarceration in Walker's prison. Danny had been unlucky enough to cross paths with the ghostly warden early on in his adventures as a half-ghost and was subsequently locked away in said prison, along with many of his enemies, an experience Danny did not want to relive.

Luckily for him, Danny was able to convince his not so friendly fellow inmates to launch a prison break. Unfortunately, this only served to irk the warden. Walker had always flaunted that no one had ever escaped from him jail and that it was near impregnable, a fact that the ghost boy had disproved in mere hours. Phantom had immediately gone onto his most wanted list, though he realized early on that merely catching the boy again wasn't going to be enough. He decided to turn Danny's whole city into a prison by framing him and ruining his already spotty reputation, causing him to be labeled as public enemy number one in his home town, a title Danny still hadn't completely wiped from his record.

"Walker," the half-ghost said simply, acknowledging the warden's presence. Walker's eyes narrowed.

"Punk," he replied, opting to use his pet name for the ghost boy. His voiced oozed of contempt as he eyed his adversary. "I still don't see what the mistress sees in you."

"You and me both," Danny replied with a sigh.

"You have the book?" Walker asked. Danny's grip of the object in question tightened.

"Where are they?" Danny replied. Walker raised an eyebrow quizzically. "My friends; where are they?"

"They're safe and sound in the Ghost Zone," the ghost replied with a grin. "And if you want them to stay that way, you'll give up the book."

"That wasn't part of the deal," Danny challenged, glaring daggers at Walker, "I'm here, the book is here. They aren't. You're not getting anything unless I see them right here, right now!"

"Oh really?" the white-faced specter replied. "I don't think you're in any position to bargain, Phantom. Your buddies are in a very... how should I put it, precarious position. You're only option in order to keep them out of harms way is to give me the book." He held his hand out in anticipation. "Of course, if you resist, I'll have to get a little bit rough. The mistress would be angry, but it would sure make me feel better." The tension seemed to multiply tenfold as the ghost boy silently pondered his options. He knew that Walker was right; he didn't have much of an option. Sighing, he raised the book, preparing to hand it off, as well as his freedom.

It was then that a number of things happened. The book was suddenly engulfed by dark energy, which caused to levitate out of Danny's hand. Walker was shocked by the turn of events but had no time to act as a bolt of the same dark aura slammed into his chest, sending him reeling. The same happened to each of his eight men as one after the other was thrown off the roof till it was only Danny that remained.

Danny slowly turned, just in time to see Raven land a few feet away. The shadows of her hood as well as the glare of the two globes that were her eyes prevented him from seeing her face. He stood there frozen; he was unable to move one inch from the spot he occupied. She moved forward, with an almost creepy calm, which caused the halfa to be even more anxious.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Raven asked vehemently. Danny was taken aback by the fierceness of her voice. He pushed down some of the turmoil in his mind as he prepared to reply.

"I'm doing what needs to be done," he responded. "I'm saving my friends."

"That's bullshit and you know it," Raven retorted. "Do you really think that this will save anyone? Do you really thing that if, by some off chance that they do let them go, that your friends will be ok with your so called 'sacrifice'? You think just handing over what could possibly allow them to put this whole city, if not the whole world in danger, will really help?"

"Then what the hell do you want me to do?" Danny spat. His eyes temporarily flashed red, a detail Raven noticed. "You want me to just stand by while my friends are in danger? You wand me to sit on my hands helplessly while they do who knows what to them? I can't just stand around and do nothing! These are my friends."

"What I'd hoped you would do is wait for us to think of something!" Raven responded. Danny immediately noticed the lack of vehemence in her voice now. Instead, it was replaced by something else; something that caused a cold shiver at the pit of his stomach: betrayal. "That's what you promised, wasn't it? That you'd wait for the Titans to come up with a plan. You promised us; you promised me." Her voice began to tremble with every word she uttered. She allowed her hood to fall, revealing the twin trails of moisture on her cheeks, evidence that she had been crying.

Danny visibly flinched at the pain in her eyes. The red haze that had been clouding his mind suddenly began to dissipate, being slowly replaced by shame and remorse. It was his fault she was crying. She had trusted him to wait for her and he had walked all over her trust. He wished he there was something he could say, something he could do to that would wipe away her tears. Every word that he tried to utter got wedged in his parched throat.

A giggle from above caught both their attentions. Danny and Raven looked up to find Valara, who had a smirk plastered all over her face. She floated above them as if seated, her legs crossed and her hands folded on her knee. "I didn't mean to interrupt. Please do continue. I want to see how much more you can tear out her heart."

"You," Raven hissed, her anger returning in full force. Her jaw clenched as she glowered at the unexpected guest.

"It looks like the show is over, then," Valara commented nonchalantly. She pouted as if she were disappointed. "It was getting so good, too." She turned towards Raven, her smile never leaving her face. "Raven, so glad you could come. A friendly word of advice, however: it isn't very nice trying to take things that don't belong to you."

"That's pretty funny. I was about to suggest the same thing," Raven sarcastically replied. "Danny doesn't belong to you."

"Is that so?" Valara asked with mock curiosity, "Because it looks like to me that he was coming to me instead of you."

"Only because you're holding his friends hostage," the sorceress shot back. Valara's smile broadened.

"All is fair in love and war, as they say," the ghost said with a shrug. She then turned to Danny, who had so far wisely avoided getting in between the two clashing women. "Danny, she's trying to keep you from your friends. You're not going to let her get away with that, are you?" As she spoke, her eyes began to burn an ethereal yellow. Danny began to feel the haze return to his vision as his own eyes began to glow crimson. He felt his right arm begin to rise slowly as a charge of ectoplasm ignited in the palm of his hand. Danny quickly grabbed it with his left, trying to stop himself as he unwillingly aimed at Raven. The glow in his eyes flickered as he tried to regain control of himself.

Raven watched as he struggled, her fury at him subsiding. She knew that Valara was just using his loyalty of his friends to control him. She had heard of similar spells before; using and amplifying someone's emotions in order to manipulate them. She could only imagine what kind internal skirmish he was having. She closed her eyes as she contemplated her next course of action. Opening her eyes again, she set her sights on the cause of all of the conflict at the moment.

"There isn't any need for that," Raven said, "I'm here to make a deal."

"Oh really now?" Valara replied, tilting her head in curiosity. "Normally if one wants to bargain, they have to have something to bargain with. Tell me, Raven, what exactly do you have that we want?"

"Me," Raven declared. The ghost stared at her for a few moments before breaking out into a fit of laughter.

"You?!" Valara finally responded in between giggles, "What would I want with you? To tell you the truth, you aren't even half as cute as Danny is."

"But you're father wants me," the dark-clad sorceress stated, "I'm the whole reason he started this; to have revenge on me. So, I want to make a proposition: take me instead of Danny." Danny's face blanched at the announcement of her request. The red smoke in his mind seemed to instantly disappear as apprehension took hold.

"Raven, stop," he pleaded with her, "You don't have to do this for me…"

"I made a promise too, remember?" she asked, "I promised I'd do what I could to free your friends, Danny. That's a promise I have to keep." She turned once again to Valara, "So, do we have a deal?"

Valara held her chin in her hands, her eyebrows crunched as if she were contemplating the decision, "Although you offer is very tempting, I'm going to have to pass," she replied with faux-regret, "I do, however, have a solution that will solve both of our problems." Valara flashed her trademark grin before continuing, "How about I just take both of you?" As she spoke, tendrils of crimson red smoke began to snake around her arms. She lifted her arms up, causing the smoke to shoot out at both Raven and Danny. It quickly began to rap itself around the two. Raven could feel the effects of the smoke immediately: her arms and legs began to go numb as unconsciousness slowly overtook her.

Knowing she had a few moments left before she went under, Raven closed her eyes and used her last bit of concentration to focus on something. She only had one chance to remove one objective. She felt her magic do its thing before she finally succumb to darkness.

"Now that wasn't too hard, now was it?" Valara commented as she surveyed her handiwork. Raven and Danny were now inside two clouds of smoke, obscured from view. Valara merged the clouds together before turning towards Walker, who had recovered from Raven's first attack. "Why couldn't you do that? Oh, that's right: you're a bunch of idiots."

"Mistress, I apologize for my incompetence," Walker replied, bowing profusely.

"Zip it, Walker," she snapped, "We got what we came for and then some, so I don't care one way or another. The sooner we get back to the Ghost Zone, the better." Snapping her fingers, a tear in the fabric of space appeared, showing their destination. "Let's go."

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Robin motioned Starfire to let him go atop one of the rooftops. She complied, letting him go and then landing alongside him. He pulled out his communicator and frowned.

"This is her communicator's last known location before the signal just…vanished," he reported after consulting his device. Starfire's face was bathed in worry as a result.

"I do wish our friends are ok," she responded. Robin laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Star. We'll find them," the boy wonder consoled. Moments later, Cyborg was dropped off by an emerald pterodactyl, which transformed back into the green changling of the team. Robin looked over his team as he stated his orders, "This area needs to be searched. We need to know what happened here and we need any clue that'll help us find Phantom and Raven. Keep your eyes, ears and nose open."

The last comment was directed at Beast Boy, who gave a mock salute, knowing it was his time to shine. The shape-shifter had a wide variety of animals in his arsenal that could track pretty much anything. He transformed into a classic: a bloodhound. Putting his nose to the ground, the green dog began sniffing for any trails, any leads that would lead them to their friends. He picked something up almost immediately.

"They both were here," he said as he changed back into his human form briefly.

"And they weren't alone," Cyborg commented as he used his onboard spectral analyzer, "I'm picking up ecto-residue all over the place. Nine ghosts I don't recognize plus that chick who showed up at the tower this morning."

"Any trails?" Robin asked. Cyborg pushed a few buttons on his forearm. His frown showed his disappointment.

"Sorry, man, but I'm not getting anything else," he admitted, "Like you said, it just stops here. They probably teleported or something."

"Keep looking," Robin requested. There had to be some clue that would give them some answers. Meanwhile Starfire took to the air to gain a better vantage point over the area. Cyborg continued his analysis of the rooftop while Beast Boy decided to swing his way down a fire escape as a lemur to an alley below. He thought he had caught a whiff of something familiar and decided to investigate before he let the others know. Transforming back into a dog, he continued his sniffing, as he tried to pinpoint the scent in question.

He searched the area for a number of minutes. The fact that there was a dumpster full of rancid odors in the alley didn't make his job any easier, but he couldn't help but feel there was something down here waiting to be found. His ears suddenly perked as he caught it again: it was faint and was almost drowned out by the other smells but it was there. Working his _olfactory_ organ into overdrive, the hound made his way over to the very dumpster he was first trying to avoid. The smell was unmistakable, however. Letting out a howl of success, the green canine transformed back into human form.

"Guys, I think I found something!" he announced. He waited for the rest of the team to arrive before he pointed towards the dumpster. "I think there's something in there." Robin nodded as he motioned everyone to get in defensive position. As soon as everyone was ready, he used his staff to wedge the top of the large garbage container open. The Titans let out a collective gasp as they realized what they had found…

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To say that Valara was pleased was an understatement. The ghost girl was beyond ecstatic. She had Danny. She had the book. She even had that bitch of a sorceress as icing on the cake. As soon as she and Walker arrived at her father's domain, she let out a squeal of delight. Walker watched as his mistress began to spin and giggle around the room. Stopping after a few moments, her mouth stretched out in a wide grin.

"Let's inspect our catch of the day," she murmured to herself. Waving her hand, the cloud she had brought with her descended to the ground. Her eyes lit up in anticipation as she snapped her fingers, which caused the cloud to disperse. Her smile disappeared just as quickly as she surveyed her spoils. Raven was lying there, still unconscious and the book still clutched in her hand. Danny, however, was nowhere to be found. Valara's face contorted from confusion to blind rage, smoke streaming out of her nostrils. Her booted foot soon made contact with Raven's side, sending her sprawling.

"Mistress, wait!" Walker called. The ghost warden backed away as Valara turned to him, her eyes burning like embers in a flame and a scowl on her face. Walker gulped, wondering of interrupting her wasn't such a good idea.

"What?!" she snarled, her eyes flashing for emphasis, "You dare tell me what to do!?"

"I wouldn't dream of it, my mistress!" he apologized hastily, "I merely think that the master would probably prefer the gem to be still breathing." Valara continued to glare before she lowered her foot, which had been pulled back, ready to strike Raven again. Walker breathed a sigh of relief and then gasped as Valara began to mercilessly kick the still comatose sorceress repeatedly in the abdomen. The sudden influx of pain caused Raven to awaken immediately, her eyes wide open and arms clutching her stomach and ribs in agony. Valara finally stopped her tirade. Raven was now in the fetus position, moaning in the aftermath.

"I don't know about you, but that just made me feel a whole lot better," Valara stated as her rage seemed to have subsided in her face. "Lock her up with the other two." Walker nodded, hoping not to incur her wrath. In some ways, she was even scarier than the master. "And Walker? Go back and find _him_ or else." Valara pried the book from Raven, sending her another kick for good measure, and stormed out of the hall. Walker ordered some of his men to collect the prisoner and place her in the cell with the others. He secretly was glad that he had been spared her fury, but unless he succeeded in capturing Phantom, it wouldn't be long until he felt it.

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"Is he well?" he heard as the darkness around him slowly faded. Danny was still fighting the effects of the cloud that had hit him. His brain slowly churned back to life, like an old motor that took it's time to start. He struggled to place where he had heard that voice before. He stirred, his eyes fluttering open to blurred, fatigue-induced confusion. He suddenly felt his body being jerked up and slammed into something hard. The sudden pain was enough to wake him from his drowsy stupor. Danny found himself staring into the mask of Robin, who didn't look too happy.

"Where is she?" Robin growled fiercely, shaking Danny's shirt as he pinned him onto an alley wall. Danny wondered who he was talking about until it hit him all at once; Raven. They were both about to be captured when he felt a tingle right before he went under. His eyes widened in realization.

"Th-they have her," he deduced, "In the ghost zone. She must have teleported me before they got both of us." The ghostly teen hung his head in shame. At that very moment, screech from the street announced the arrival of the Fenton clan, who barreled out of their Ghost Assault Vehicle. Jazz was the first one out the door, looking frantically for her brother. She spotted the Titans and Danny and made her way over, though he relief quickly turned into worry as she realized what kind of situation was taking place.

"Wait, what's going on?" she demanded as she tried to intervene, only to be stopped by none other than Cyborg, who shook his head to discourage her. The Fenton parents soon followed. Jack had an understanding look on his face as he held back his wife. He knew it was a guy thing that needed to be resolved between the boys.

"You remember what I told you before, Phantom," Robin began as he pulled Danny closer, "That if any of my team was put in danger that you'd be responsible. Because of you, not only have we lost the book but now they have Raven as well. The enemy now has everything they need to do who knows what to both Raven and the city and its all because of you."

"You think I don't know that?!" Danny suddenly blurted out, "You think I don't know I screwed up? I was an idiot, ok? Raven sacrificed herself because I was hardheaded and stupid. That should have been me." His hands now covered his face as a wave of self-pity washed over him. "Why the hell do I even bother? Every time I try to be a hero, someone always gets hurt." Robin let go of the ghost boy's collar, his anger long since gone. The others watched the two solemnly, all of them unsure how things were going to turn out.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" the boy wonder asked, eliciting a confused look from the halfa. "Making a mistake doesn't make you less of a hero; it's just proof that you're human. We all make mistakes; we all have times of weakness. The true measure of a hero is what he does after he fails. So I'm going to ask you again: What are you going to do? Are you going to wallow in your own self-pity? Or are you going to help us find Raven and your friends." Danny stared in shock.

"You still want me to help?" he asked in disbelieve, "Even after how much I've screwed up?"

"Though I don't want to admit it, you and your parents are the only chance we have to win this," Robin explained. "You may be rough around the edges, but I think I understand why Raven trusted you. You do have a lot to learn about teamwork and trust." Robin held out his hand, which Danny took. The rest of the Titans and Fentons let out a combined sigh of relief. The Fentons soon circled around Danny, thankful he was ok. Cyborg made his way next to his leader and friend.

"So, what changed your mind?" he asked quietly.

"I saw a little bit of me in him," Robin admitted reluctantly.

"Only a little?" the taller titan quipped, a knowing look in his eye. If the boy wonder noticed his second in command's friendly jeering, he didn't let on that he did. Clearing his throat, he addressed everyone.

"Now that we have that out of the way, we have no choice but to go on the offensive," he began, "They have all the cards now. Our best option now is to hit them hard and hit them fast before they are able to play their hand."

"Only one problem, Rob," Cyborg interrupted, "How the heck are we even going to get to Ghost Space?"

"Ghost _Zone,_" Maddie corrected.

"Right, Ghost Zone," he rectified, "And even if we somehow get there, the name suggests it's pretty big. How are we even going to find them?"

"Finding them isn't going to be the hard part," Danny interrupted. The look of confidence on his face told that he had an idea in mind. "Can I borrow your cell, Jazz?" His sister nodded and handed him her cell. After dialing a few numbers, he waited for a reply. "Hey, Tuck: you still have that spare key to my house?"

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tucker Foley asked as he readied the Fenton's Specter Speeder. He dialed a buttons on the console as the vehicle came to life, "I mean, didn't you say that it's getting pretty dangerous with this new ghost and everything."

"It's not like I'm asking you to go in and save them guns a blazing, Tuck," Danny replied on the other end of Fenton Phones Tucker had been wearing, "All we need you to do is do a scan of the Ghost Zone and see if you can get a fix of Sam, Valerie and Raven. You don't even need to go in; the Speeder's real-world item detector should be able to pick them up from the portal. Plus, just in case, Cyborg is going to send you the frequency and decryption code for Raven's communicator."

"Wait, THE Cyborg?" Tucker said a little bit too enthusiastically.

"The one and only," Cyborg chimed in. He and the others were currently congregated around a screen inside the Fenton Family Ghost Assault Vehicle. Cyborg was currently hooked up to the onboard computer, ready to send the information. "It's on your way now." He focused off screen to Danny, "You sure he can do this?"

"Tucker is the best guy I know when it comes to tech," Danny reassured. "If anyone can…"

"Found them," Tucker called from his end of the connection," I'm picking up the signal and at least four real-world objects close by."

"That'll be the girls and the book," the halfa confirmed. "Think you can give us the coordinates?"

"Already done, along with the map," the techno-geek answered. A three dimensional representation of the Ghost Zone sparked into existence, with four dots denoting their targets. Maddie and Jack's eyes widened.

"You actually have a map of the Ghost Zone?!" Maddie marveled, quite impressed by the level detail. "What else have you been holding out on us, young man?" Danny blushed faintly from the embarrassment. He focused his attention back on the map.

"Look's like it's out of the way. Actually, I don't think I've been in this part of the zone before."

"We still have a problem, though," Jazz interrupted, "We still don't have a way to get into the Ghost Zone. Our only means is the portal back in Amity and it'll take too long for us to get there in time." Danny was about to respond when his ghost sense suddenly went off.

"Looks like we have company," he stated as he phased through the wall of the GAV. The others made their way out through the door. Floating there was Walker and a number of his officers. What caught Danny's attention was the freshly opened tear into the ghost zone behind them. Danny smiled and cracked his knuckles. "Guys, I think we just got our lucky break."

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**AN: I hope you've enjoyed this one. **


	32. Chapter 31: Out of the Frying Pan

**Author's Note: I am sooo sorry. I sort of took a month long hiatus. I'm sorry to make all you guys wait so long for a new chapter. I'm at the final stretch of this story pretty much, so I'll try to get chapters out a lot more quickly. I thank all of you who've supported me and this story. I'd also like to say hello to all the new readers who have added me to their alerts and favorite story lists. Welcome to the experience. I hope you enjoy the final few chapters and any subsequent sequels.  
**

**Also: I've done lots and lots of proofreading on this chapter. Those who have complained: I have listened. If there are any glaring errors in here, let me know. I know I suck at proofreading and error-finding, but I'd like you all to be truthful when I've made mistakes. Thank you for calling me out. I appreciate it. I owe my fans nothing but the best. **

**Now, what do I have in store for my heroes? A little action with the Titans and Danny, a little exposition from Xanthus (yes, he's back, for those who forgot about him) and a surprise ending...gasp! Stay tuned...**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 31: Out of the Frying Pan… 

"VALARA!" Xanthus Pyre cried out as he flew through the hallways of his lair. The ghost had spent a considerable amount of time meditating, healing the wounds the halfa had inflicted on him in their last conflict. He hated to admit it but Phantom's newfound ability had done a lot of damage, especially to his face. Although it was intriguing, Phantom was going to be a major obstacle they would need to take care of. His daughter's irrational infatuation with him was going to be a problem as well; one of the many things he needed to discuss with her before they continued. Now where was that girl, anyway? "Valara!"

"You called?" a voice answered from behind. The older ghost nearly jumped out of his skin, that is, if he had any. "I'm glad to see you're better, Daddy. Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?" A smile never left her face as she spoke.

"What has happened since I've been meditating?" he asked, clearly annoyed, "Never mind that; there are things we need to discuss, young lady. Many things. We need to plan how we are going to retrieve the book. Then we're going to discuss your punishment for your past failures…"

"Oh, about that Father," Valara replied, her face changing to a solemn look. She hung her head as she proceeded, "I know I have failed you time and time again and I wish to make it up to you. I hope you can find enough mercy in yourself to give me another chance."

"My dear, you've known me long enough to know that I don't do mercy," he spat. "Everything I do I do for us… for you. You can't afford to be weak. We are fire. If we are too weak, we will falter in the faintest wind. We are meant to be strong, to consume and to conquer everything in our path, to be unstoppable."

"I understand, father," she replied, "And I know I must be punished for my failure. Isn't there anything I could do to redeem myself?"

"I've given you and everyone else enough chances, Valara," he answered almost sympathetically, "I don't think there is anything you can do now."

"Even if I, by chance, retrieved the book for you?" Her suggestion was met with loud, obnoxious laughter.

"You're joking right?" he asked in between snorts, "If this is your idea of delaying the inevitable, you going to have to do a better…" his words were silenced abruptly as he watched his daughter hold up the book in question. His eyes widened in amazement. "How did you…?"

"A girl never reveals her secrets," she replied with a straight face, "So, am I still considered weak, father?" Xanthus quickly shook off the shock from his face and instead began to smile in approval.

"Well done, my dear, well done. You obviously have been busy while I was occupied. I think we can overlook your failures for the time being." He wringed his hands in anticipation. Valara handed him the book and watched as he gleefully inspected its pages. The first thing he noticed was that words were visible on the page.

"I hope you don't mind, Daddy. I unmasked the book for you. I realized once I had the book that the spell you used was the same spell Jules had taught me once."

"Oh, it's quite alright, Valara," he said as his eyes perused the pages almost hungrily, "Curiosity and ambition are what makes us Pyres who we are." He turned to her with a devilish grin. "And after looking through my journal, you know how much of an accomplishment this is."

"I do," she replied, "Your work is simply brilliant. Though, it might be missing something…"

"That's ridiculous," he dismissed, "After all this work I put into it? After all my sacrifice? What could this exceptional plan be missing? "

"Raven, of course," Valara replied, "Isn't she the most important part of your grand plan?"

"Ah, yes: Trigon's brat. We're gonna have to do something about her, aren't we."

"Actually, I think I may have a solution for that as well," the red-headed girl said with an amused look on her face. "Follow me," she said plainly, motioning for her father to follow. The older ghost followed curiously to see what his daughter was planning.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

"Finally found you, punk," Walker said in a predatory tone as he eyed his prey, "You wouldn't believe how much trouble your little disappearing act has caused me. So just come along quietly and your little friends don't get hurt." Walker went from happiness for finding his target to confusion as Danny began to unexpectedly smile.

"Walker, so glad you could make it," Danny said calmly, "Just the ghost I wanted to see." Walker suddenly felt uneasy at the ghost boy's strange behavior; his calm demeanor mystified the ghost to know end. He could handle if the punk was angry or resisted arrest but this made him feel apprehensive.

"What are you up to, Phantom?" the lawman asked, a crease forming in his brow. He could feel his men tense up from behind him.

"Oh nothing really," Phantom shrugged, "It's just that I was just racking my brain, wondering how I was going to get the Ghost Zone and save my friends and lo and behold, here you are with a freshly made portal. It's funny how things work out, don't you think?"

"You think you could get past me and my men, punk?" he said derisively, "I'd love to see you try."

"I could try and take you on myself, but that'd just take too long. But if my friends help, on the other hand…" Right on cue, the various clicks, whirs and movements could be heard as the Fenton and the Titans readied their various weapons for battle. Jack and Maddie both had bazookas in hand while Jazz activated the Fenton Peeler, which instantly covered her body in high-tech armor. Robin had a hand full of exploding discs ready to through, Starfire's hands and eyes were lit with ecto-enhanced starbolt energy, Cyborg's sonic cannon was cocked and ready and Beast Boy had already taken the form of a velociraptor. All had determined looks on their faces, which put Walker on edge and caused his men to gulp in unison.

"Feeling cocky now, aren't we?" Walker said, shaking off the anxious feeling he was having, "Your living friends are no match for us. Why don't you just stop this nonsense and give up quietly."

"The way I see it, you have two choices, Walker," Danny said with a grin, "You either step out of the way or we make you. Your choice, although, I know you love to do things the hard way." Danny cracked his knuckles as he transformed into his ghost form, smiling confidently as he readied for battle. "Hello misplaced aggression."

"Titans, GO!" Robin cried out, sending the combatants into battle. Various blasts shot through the night as the two sides began their deadly dance of war. Walker made a beeline straight for Phantom, his hands glowing with violet ectoplasm. He fired a volley as he approached, causing the halfa to dodge. Danny countered with a few blasts of his own. They circled each other, exchanging high-energy bursts, testing each other for any weak spots. Danny decided he had enough and began to go on the offensive, closing the gap between them and launching a devastating kick.

Walker, however, was able to block the kick easily, which took Danny by surprise. He then pushed it aside and followed with a well placed punch into the halfa's gut, slamming the ghost boy into a wall. "Is that all you got, punk?" Walker jeered, "It's been a while since we've crossed paths, so let me let you in on a few things. You hardly were able to fight me back then, so what makes you think you can beat me now? The Master has given everyone who serves him a nice boost in power. I'm more powerful than ever!"

Danny rose to his feet, glaring daggers at his opponent, "So I've heard. It didn't help Skulker much, though. I beat him and I'm going to beat you; that is, if don't want to back off now."

"Are you kidding me? And miss beating your worthless hide into a pulp? Not on your afterlife." And with that the ghost attacked once again, throwing another fierce punch at Danny. The halfa jumped back, dodging the blow. Ducking low, Danny launched an assault of his own, hitting Walker in the gut with a flurry of punches, knocking the wind out of the lawman. Danny quickly finished his attack with an uppercut, sending Walker flying. Unfortunately for him, Walker quickly recovered, doing a back flip and slowing to a stop in midair. Walker began to send a hailstorm of purple ectoblasts at Phantom, causing him to quickly erect a shield to protect himself.

Meanwhile, the others had their hands full. Starfire was locked in aerial combat, exchanging attacks from two of Walker's men who chased after her. On the ground, Jack and Maddie were fending off enemies of their own; the husband/wife duo was back to back, firing their weapons with almost reckless abandon as ghosts flew overhead.

Robin threw a number of discs into the air before dodging and evading blasts from above. He knew none of them would hit home, but that was the point: they were merely a distraction to keep his foe occupied. Taking advantage of this he quickly pulled out a grappling gun and fired at the top of a building. Pushing the retraction button, he allowed it to hoist him up in a swift rate. Once he reached the optimum height, the boy wonder dug his feet into the wall, then let go of the line as he launched himself into the air. Quickly pulling out and extending his Bo staff, he swung it, hitting his target, who hardly had time to even move out of the way. The ghost plummeted but before it was halfway to the ground, it was quickly enveloped in a blue flash of light and then disappeared. Below, Jazz held a still smoking Fenton Thermos, which now was plus one occupant.

Robin soon felt gravity taking over as he slowed to a stop in mid air. If was worried of the upcoming fall, he showed no signs of it. He simply closed his eyes and held out his arm as he began his descent. Moments later a tug on his arm confirmed that her had been caught. He opened his eyes and smiled at Starfire, who returned the gesture. He then felt them both jerk to the side as she dodged ectoplasm coming from her two pursuers. Robin simply nodded, not uttering a word. Starfire nodded back; after years of practice and battle together, the two easily anticipated and understood each other in the heat of battle. In a fluid motion, Starfire spun around to face her attackers and at the same time, sent her beau flying towards them, which took them completely by surprise. Letting the momentum close the gap between him and the ghosts, Robin launched a salvo of discs and birdarangs. Starfire added to the mix, firing her starbolts in quick succession. Though they dodged many, the specters could not dodge them all and soon both tumbled to the ground. Two blue flashes from below verified their capture.

"BOOYEAH!" Cyborg hollered as he fired his sonic cannon while riding a large green T-rex. He let off another shot, this time hitting his target, knocking the ghost out of the sky. Beast Boy growled as he continued to charge down the street. He swung his head upwards, launching his mechanical friend up into the air. The dinosaur suddenly began to shrink and change form until it was a green pterodactyl, which quickly grabbed Cyborg by the shoulders. The duo proceeded to gain altitude while Cyborg continued to pick off enemies one after another.

Danny was now locked in energy-charged melee combat as he and Walker exchanged blows. Danny was fast and furious, managing to dodge every hit Walker sent his way and countering with a number of his own. Walker couldn't understand how and why the tables had turned; Phantom seemed to exude confidence, despite his friends being in danger. The hopelessness and despair Phantom had on his face earlier that night was long gone.

Walker gritted his teeth as he blocked another devastating punch; one that he could hardly hold back. He cringed as the ectoplasm enhanced strike burned into the arm he used to block. Danny took advantage of the opening and lashed out with a left hook. His fist broke threw the lawman's defenses and hit him straight in the jaw. Using the momentum of the punch Danny continued to spin, lifting his right leg up to land a devastating kick. Walker was sent flying, landing many feet away from the halfa. Even with his powers enhanced, he couldn't keep up with the boy. He struggled to get up, only to find himself now surrounded by Danny's friends and family. Walker looked around; realizing none of his men were in sight. He had been so caught up in his own battle that he didn't realize he was now the last one standing.

"You think you've won?" he sneered, "You may have beaten me, but the master is in a whole other level. He'll burn you to a crisp, punk! You don't stand a chance."

"Don't be offended if I disagree," Danny replied, "I couldn't beat him before but I will now. I have to. We have to..." He lifted his hand, which instantly ignited with power, though it wasn't his usual green; instead the glow was icy blue, which caused Walker to stare back quizzically. A flash later and Walker was now encased in a block of ice, a look of surprise frozen onto his face.

"Booyeah!" Cyborg hollered again, "Finally, we got a win. Was beginning to forget how one feels like."

"It does feel superb to be victorious again," Starfire agreed.

"We're not done yet," Robin commented. He focused is gaze on Danny, "We'll be going in your territory for now on. However you want to proceed, we'll back you up." Danny nodded as Robin passed the reigns onto him. He was about to say something when his face lit up.

"Oh, crap; almost forgot!" he called as he flew back towards the Fenton RV. The others followed, wondering what had happened. Once they entered the vehicle, Danny pressed a button, re-activating the speaker.

"Danny? Anybody? What's going on?" Tucker could be heard from the other end. His image appeared on screen with a look of confusion on his face.

"Sorry Tuck," the ghost boy apologized to his friend, "We ran into some ghosts. Nothing we couldn't handle. Luckily for us, they decided to give us a little gift. Can you do us a favor and pick up our signal through the new portal that's opened up?" He watched his friend type furiously as he worked out the calculations."

"Got it," Tucker replied, "It's a bit away from the girls." The holographic map updated, now showing the portal Walker had left for them in relation to the signal from Raven's communicator. Tucker was indeed correct: the portal was at quite a distance away from the landmass they suspected the girls were being held at. The gears of Danny's mind began to turn as he plotted his next move.

"Looks like you're gonna see some action after all, buddy. Meet us at the portal ASAP. And bring us lots of weapons…"

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

Raven moaned as reality slowly flooded her senses. Unfortunately for her, that reality also included a great dead of pain in her midsection. Her eyes fluttered open as she took in her surroundings. Two pairs of worried eyes looked back as she tried to sit up.

"Take it easy, there," Sam warned, "You're lucky I keep bandages on me for times like this." Raven flinched as she tried to move. Her hands gingerly touched her sides to find that they were indeed bandaged tightly. She suddenly felt two pairs of hands help her till she was upright.

"Thanks," Raven said as she tried to muster some concentration despite the intense pain. She managed to focus enough energy to ignite the healing glow in her right hand, which she placed on her abdomen. She sighed as the pain slowly trickled out of her.

"You're Raven, right?" Valerie asked with a hint of admiration in her eyes, "Of the Teen Titans?"

"That would be me," the sorceress replied. The throbbing pain was now a lot more subdued, allowing her to breathe a lot easier. "And you're Danny's friends, Sam and Valerie?" The two girls nodded.

"Not to be rude or anything," Sam began, "But please tell me this isn't part of the rescue plan." Raven chuckled softly, which wasn't such a good idea, since it caused a flash of discomfort.

"Actually, no. Danny's brilliant plan was to give himself us to save you two. I was just dumb enough to interrupt the whole thing," Raven explained. She and Valerie were surprised when Sam began to laugh.

"Sounds like Danny," she said after her fit, "As clueless as always."

"Is…is he ok?" Valerie inquired meekly. Raven noted the conflicted look on the African-American girl's face.

"He should be fine," Raven reassured, "Though he probably won't stay that way once I find a way out of here…"

"Well, you're the superhero around here," Sam commented. "Can't you use that magic of yours to get us out of here?" Raven pulled her hand away from her side, the pain now nothing more than a dull twinge. She lifted her hand as she prepared to let loose a spell.

"Not that I think it's that easy or anything, but 'Azarath Metrion Zinthos!'" As Raven spoke her signature incantation, a bolt of her dark magic sprang forth towards the fiery barrier that separated them from freedom. Unfortunately, just like Valerie's attempt before, the attack merely bounced off the walls. The girls quickly jumped out of the way until the blast fizzled out. "Well, that went well."

"And believe me, my dear, it shall only get worse," a voice called from the doorway. The three teenaged girls turned to the source to find Xanthus Pyre entering the room, with a pleased expression on his face. Valara was right behind her father, looking just as amused. "My, look what we have here. The guest of honor has finally arrived. I hope you find the accommodations to your liking?" Raven rolled her eyes at the ghost's attempt at witty banter.

"Are you trying to kill us with the corny dialogue?" Sam asked mockingly. Raven couldn't help but smile at the girl's bravery. She could tell why Danny regarded her as such a close friend.

"And who are you supposed to be again?" Xanthus asked, pointing at the girl who dared to interrupt his gloating.

"They're just insurance, that's all, Daddy," Valara was quick to reply, "Just in case Phantom shows up."

"Youth has no respect these days," the fire-ghost commented, "Anyway, I do believe it's time Raven learns of her fate, isn't it?" Xanthus pulled out his book, flipping through the pages casually, "I bet you're curious about this, hmm? I must admit that his book contains one of my proudest achievements; something so powerful that it scared both the buzzards in Azarath and the Order of Skath. A great accomplishment indeed."

"And here comes the long winded monologue…" Sam whispered under her breath.

"It all started when you were still but a child," the ghost continued, proving the Goth girl's claim, "The council of Azarath were in quite puzzled on what to do about Trigon. Most of them thought you were the answer. Their rescue of you and your mother from the hands of the Order was less altruistic and more of a tactical play than anything else. By having you, they thought they could postpone the ascension of Trigon almost indefinitely. It was quite a silly notion, really. Of course, you already knew that. Trigon's return to the mortal plane was only a matter of time.

"They were fools to try and hold on to their non-aggressive tendencies. A war was coming and all they did was try to ignore it. It seemed like I was the only one who even cared about preventing the upcoming battle from taking place. My plan would have stopped that demon in his tracks, defeating him and his hoards one and for all. Of course, like all great thinkers, I was ridiculed and rejected. They didn't want to hear a thing about my so called crazy ideas. In the end, if they didn't respect and support me for who I was, I would go to someone who would…"

"So that's when you joined the Order," Raven interrupted, "Betraying your own people…"

"They stopped being my people a long time ago," he spat back, "After all I did for them, after coming up with a way to save their miserable hides, they betrayed me. Whatever they got, it was well deserved. I only wish I was the one who sealed their fates." The ghost continued to thumb through the pages of the book until he finally found the one he was looking for. On the page were a number of complex designs in what Raven recognized as ancient Azarian. "Tell me, Raven: how do you stop something that is considered unstoppable?" He began to recite a few words in an ancient tongue, which caused the writing on the pages to glow. The words began to literally fly off the pages, swirling around in a vortex of light. Suddenly, a flash blinded the room as the spell was complete.

Now floating above the book was a crystal the size of a softball that was as black as night. Xanthus admired the jewel fondly before proceeding, "The answer is quite simple, actually. In order to defeat something like Trigon, you have to use magic that is stronger than he is; something the council knew it was lacking. My solution was to change the playing field a bit. This Gem is actually quite similar in principle to thechakra on your forehead. It helps you focus and control your powers. Mine is a tad…different. It's designed to leech the magical essence from a being, whether demon, human or anything else. I could have defeated Trigon by simply draining him of all his power."

"Except that's not all it does," Raven commented, "The magic that's stolen has to go somewhere. That's why they turned down your idea; you wanted to use Trigon's power for yourself."

"And why shouldn't I, hmm?" he replied, "Think of all I could have done with that power. Didn't I deserve it after all that work I did? All the work I could have done? That thuggish oaf of a demon wasn't going to do anything useful with it, so I might as well claim it as my own. Unfortunately, both the council of Azarath and the Order thought differently. That and the gem had an unexpected side effect of … killing whomever it leached from. Quite a few mages were used to test its capabilities, so its effects are well documented. Of course now I can't use it on Trigon anymore, since he's dead and all. You, on the other hand; the gem, the daughter of Trigon, you were powerful enough to defeat daddy dearest. You're powers will be a much more desirable prize. I'm sure you won't miss them much."

Raven visibly paled at her implied fate at the hands of this lunatic. She considered her options, which at the moment were extremely limited. She knew she had to find someway to postpone Xanthus's plan long enough for her friends and Danny to find her. Of course, there was also the chance it would take them close to forever to find them, if they even knew where to look. Plus there was the fact that her powers were now pretty much useless. She hated feeling helpless. She hoped that something, anything would happen.

Her hopes were answered as sphere of fire suddenly appeared around Xanthus, catching the ghost by surprise. His head ignited in anger as he turned to his daughter, who wore a sadistic grin on her face. "So sorry, Daddy," she began, "But there is a slight change in plans…"

* * *

**AN: Duh Duh Duuuuh. So, Valara has betrayed Daddy dearest. How will Xanthus react? What are her true motives? And is Raven still in mortal danger? Find out next time (hopefully next week)**


	33. Chapter 32: And into the Fire

**Author's Notes: I think this is one of my better chapters. It also was one of the more interesting ones to write. It's really hard trying to describe fire without sounding way to repetitive. My thesaurus took quite a beating in this one. I hope you enjoy it!**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 32: …And into the Fire

The tension of the room seemed to be even more unbearable than the sweltering air. From their prison, Sam, Valerie, and Raven watched in silence at the most recent turn of events. Just moments ago, Valara did something that took everyone, including her father, by surprise; she now held him captive in a sphere of flame, not unlike the one the girls were currently sharing. Curiosity overwhelmed the trio as they contemplated over what the heck was happening and how it would affect their immediate future.

"Valara," Xanthus exclaim, clearly more annoyed than angry, "What in Azar's name do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, father?" she replied. Her usual smile was noticeably absent from the girls face, replaced with a barely contained look of disdain. "You can't be that dense."

Xanthus's frown grew even darker, "I don't have time for your games or your teenage rebellion or whatever you want to call this. Be a dear and remove me from this at once!"

"You really don't know why I'm doing this, do you?" she nearly hissed. Her face seemed to darken with ever word she spoke. Raven couldn't help but notice the pain that seemed to skim just below the surface of Valara's voice.

"Should I even care?" he coldly replied. "This juvenile behavior needs to stop, young lady. Release me from this prison this instant and just maybe I'll over look this foolishness."

The reaction to his words was almost instantaneous: anger seemed to engulf the girl like a fire would a gasoline soaked rag. Her eyes flashed menacingly, her shoulders tensed and her now clenched fists shook with rage. She eyed him with a mixture of disbelief and fury, gritting her teeth as she tried to contain herself. "You don't care? You don't CARE?!!" she screamed in incredulity, "Do you know what I've been through because of you? What I've suffered? It's bad enough that because you and your reputation, I was reduced to being an outcast in Azarath, but I never questioned it. You were my father. I idolized you. I wanted to be like you. And after everything I did to free you from your prison, you go and kill me!"

Stifled gasps could be heard from the cage of fire. "I so did not see that coming," Sam whispered, her eyes as wide as saucers. Raven simply nodded in agreement at the odd turn of events. Valerie's face seemed ashen, almost rivaling the natural paleness of Raven's own skin.

"Oh, not this again," Xanthus snorted in exasperation. "Are you still upset over that? I thought we've been through this already."

"Of course I'm upset!" she replied heatedly, "Why wouldn't I be? After everything I did for you… You would still be burning in Acheron Prime if it wasn't for me. And then the moment I free you, you repay me by turning me like you!"

"You should be thankful, you ungrateful little brat," Xanthus hissed, "I gave you the greatest gift I could ever give you. We have more power now than we ever did while we were alive. We no longer have to fear death because we've already been through it. You dare have the audacity to look down on what I've granted to you?"

"You never asked!" she screamed, "You never once asked what I wanted! I never wanted this so called gift of yours."

"I never needed to ask," Xanthus replied coolly, "I'm your father and I know what's best for you. It wasn't like your life had any meaning before you freed me, now did it? You were as much of an outcast as I was. You such had such a pitiful existence. No meaning, no purpose, nothing of value to anyone. You only freed me because you had no one else to turn to. Trust me: I did you a favor."

"How... How dare you!" the red-haired ghost-girl shrieked. Raven could see tears beginning to form in her closed eyes as she continued, "My life was all I had left; the only thing that meant something to me…and you just took stole it from me, throwing it away as if it was nothing…" Her eyes opened, casting an abhorrent glare towards her father, "You had no right! I'll never forgive you."

"I think I've had enough of this nonsense," Xanthus said as his hands and head ignited. He fired a stream of fire at his prison, in hopes of quelling this little rebellion. Unfortunately, his plan seemed to back fire, literally, as the flames bounced off the glowing walls, sending them back his way. He reabsorbed the blast and then turned back towards his daughter. She couldn't actually be serious about this, could she?

"I hope you like your accommodations, father," Valara said, grinning maliciously at her father's failed attempt at escape, though her eyes still held the same hateful look as before, "I designed it especially for you. You won't be leaving there anytime soon. The walls strengthen themselves by absorbing whatever force is thrown at them and reflects the excess energy. So try and escape all you want. It won't work, I assure you."

"Valara! I demand you let me out this instant!" the older ghost began demanding fervently, desperation slightly tinting his voice. He began to realize, a little bit too late, that his daughter's threats weren't to be taken lightly.

"I can't believe I followed you so blindly," she continued, seething in contempt, "Even after I died, I followed your every whim, like a dog obeying its master. After all, you were my father. Although, you never really gave me much of a choice, now did you? Any ghost who defied you became your slave or worse. Anyone who failed you was punished harshly. I was content with serving you, blissfully ignorant of how degrading it was. That is, until I met Danny…"

"Oh for Azar's sake…You're betraying me, your own father, for a boy?!"

"An easy choice, I assure you," she spat back, "Danny was the only ghost who defied you and actually endured. He even survived your attempt at enslaving him," Her eyes glossed over dreamily as she spoke, "He was my inspiration. He showed me that you weren't infallible or all powerful. He showed me that I didn't have tot follow your foolish ambitions. After that, it was only matter of time for me to act. I was able to unlock the book to figure out your little plan of vengeance. All I need was for you to gloat like you usually do and wait for you to reveal the jewel."

"And how do you plan on even using the jewel, hmm?" Xanthus asked with faux confidence. Valara could tell that he was merely grasping at straws now, trying to find the upper hand, "I have the jewel, in case you didn't notice."

"And you're exactly where I want you," she replied, "Why do you think I trapped you with it in the first place? I've already memorized the spell. All I need to do is activate it from the safety of outside of the shield." A sinister grin formed on her face, "Am I still weak now, father? This is what you wanted, isn't it? For me to be just like you? To be full of hate and vengeance? To take what I want indiscriminately? I thought you'd be proud of your little girl…"

"Valara, please," Xanthus now pleaded, "Don't do this. We can still work something out…"

"There is a slight difference between you and I, however," she continued, as if she never heard her father's begging, "At least I'm letting you beg before you go; You never even gave me that…" Closing her eyes, Valara raised a hand towards her father and began to chant. She ignored the desperate cries in front of her as she invoked the spell that would enact her revenge. Her eyes suddenly opened, seemingly flashing to an unknown rhythm. At the same time, the jewel began to drift out of Xanthus's hand. It seemed to pulse in unison with Valara's eyes as it hovered. "Good-bye, father," she said frigidly, turning away from his pathetic form before speaking the final part of the enchantment.

The dark stone began to pulsate more rapidly as it began what it was created to do. Xanthus felt the effects immediately as he struggled to resist them. Despite the small size of the jewel, it felt as if he was caught in the gravitational pull of a black hole as he tried his _damnedest_ to put as much space as possible between himself and his creation. His endeavors were in vain, however as even he could not resist its attraction. It began as a small trail of flame that separated from the ghost and swirled around the stone like water down the drain of a sink. The tendril soon grew and multiplied as numerous others snaked out of Xanthus, only to be absorbed by the jewel. He screamed as his power was siphoned off forcibly, tearing him apart. The glow that once surrounded him dimmed as the glow of the onyx gemstone increased.

Xanthus's blazing skull died down till the flames were no more. His skin began to creak and fall away until as that was left was a very human looking face, a sharp contrast to the menacing specter he was only a few moments ago. He held a hand out towards his daughter when his ghostly body suddenly began to shudder as it faded away, as he no longer had any energy left to keep himself corporeal. With one final gasp, Xanthus vanished.

Valara's hand fell to her side as she stared at the spot that her father had stood. There was no triumphant cheer, no gloating. She simply stood there and gazed, a single tear crawling down her face. It only lasted for a moment, however. She quickly began to blink the moisture out of her eyes as the tear on her cheek seemed to evaporate quickly. She didn't have time to be sentimental now. Her goal was almost in reach. With her father now gone, she was finally free to do and have what she wanted. And what she wanted was Phantom. Valara flicked her wrist, disabling the prison that separated her from her new prize. She was instantly mesmerized as the gem pulsed with power. "Magnificent," she whispered in awe, "Since I have it, I might as well use it."

She closed her eyes and once again began to chant. The stone reacted, shimmering in response as it drifted towards her. It continued on its route until it seemed to phase through he skin, burying itself into her chest. She blinked and waited for any noticeable change in power. Her captives waited along with her, as they were equally curious of the outcome.

"Huh, figures he'd make a mistake someh…" She stopped in mid-sentence as she felt something. At first it felt like something she hadn't felt in a long time: a beating heart. She felt her body reverberate with each thump of the stone. She stood there frozen, unsure of what to do when another familiar feeling began to overwhelm her. Unfortunately, this feeling wasn't such a pleasant memory.

It hit her all at once; a sharp, searing pain that jolted throughout her body. Her chest felt as if it was on fire from the inside out. Not since the day her father had killed her had she experience intense torture, except this time it was ten times as hot and still growing. Valara's knees buckled as she collapsed on the ground, her hands scratching desperately at the spot the gem had imbedded itself. She doubled over in a fetal position, her body convulsing from the throbbing sensation. Unable to take it anymore, her throat took another ragged breath as she began to scream.

All three prisonerss quickly covered their ears as an almost inhuman howl echoed off the walls. Raven tried desperately to block off the waves of pain and anguish coming from the ghost. Squinting in concentration, she began to notice something happening around the room: the torches, which lined the chamber, seemed to grow brighter with every scream emitted by Valara. They sizzled and sparked sporadically like cheap fireworks, littering the floor with embers and cinder. Even their flaming prison seemed to intensify, which quickly drew the notice of Sam and Valerie, as the temperature began to skyrocket. Raven quickly threw a shield around them, protecting them from the sweltering heat, but even then she could feel it permeating through.

The screaming had stopped but the burning sensation was still there, intensifying with each passing moment. Valara gritted her teeth as she tried to endure. She had to endure this. Her Danny was waiting for her. She didn't go through all this trouble, all this heartache only for it to end now. She had to show him, show herself that she was strong. She looked down at her trembling hands, using ever ounce of determination she had left to stop them from shaking like twigs. She could do this. She had to do this. The corners of her lips curled up slightly into a smirk as she saw the shuddering diminish. Her small victory was short lived as her hands began to smolder. She gasped as smoke began billowing from various parts of her body. A final shriek erupted from her lips as an intense blast engulfed her, sending a towering column of flames through the ceiling above. The shockwave rocked the chamber with harsh ferocity; swallow up everything in its path.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Everyone remember the plan?" Danny called through his headset. He hovered within the endless green void known as the Ghost Zone, surveying the area. Below him was a relatively small landmass, which currently was occupied by a now landed Specter Speeder. Next to the vehicle were the Teen Titans, as they readied themselves for the upcoming battle.

"I still think this is a bad idea," Jazz responded from inside the Speeder, "Wouldn't it be a better idea if we hit them head on together? We'll have a better chance of beating those ghosts if we worked as a team."

"Its better this way, Jazz," Danny replied, "We have to be careful how we go about this. If we go in together, there's a chance Sam, Val, and Raven could be caught in the crossfire. Splitting up is the best way to handle this."

"But it's too dangerous! You being the bait against ghosts of this magnitude is crazy. We should be out there with you…"

"Jazz, you know there's no point in arguing with him," Tucker interrupted. The techno-geek, along with the elder Fenton hunters were prepping the Speeder for combat, "Once he has his mind set on something, you know it's almost impossible to get him to think otherwise. Besides, it's not like he'll be alone. The Titans have his back, too." Despite his current demeanor, Danny couldn't help but smile. He could hear a disgruntled sigh of defeat from his earpiece.

"Don't you dare die on us, Danny," she warned, "Or else I'll swear I'll hunt your ghost down for the rest of my life."

"Same goes for you," Danny replied after a brief chuckle, "I'm counting on you, Mom, Dad and Tuck to get them out of there. The Titans and I can only distract the Pyres for so long."

"Don't worry, son," the booming voice of Jack Fenton called, "Well break them out in no time flat. Just leave everything to you're old man!" The ghost boy smiled warily at his father's assurance, wondering if he should be grateful or worried, when suddenly it felt like his gut was hit with a cannonball. He doubled over as a large blue cloud erupted from his lips.

"Are you well, friend Phantom?" Starfire called anxiously. Danny nodded and closed his eyes as he focused on keeping his new ice powers in check.

"That was weird," he said after a few moments, "Something big just happened that just caused by ghost sense to go wonky. I could feel Xanthus all the way from here but then there was nothing, like he just disappeared. And then it felt like something exploded with ecto-energy. Took me by surprise."

"Wouldn't happen to have something to do with that, would it?" Cyborg asked, pointing towards their destination. Everyone gasped as they all noticed the elevated red flames that seemed to act as a beacon for the young heroes.

"That is not good," Danny said wide eyed. "We have to hurry." He turned towards the Specter Speeder once again, "Once we get the bad guys distracted, you guys break out the girls through the back. If Raven's ok, have her come join us. And Tuck: once you guys are in the clear, let us know."

"Be careful, Danny," Maddie Fenton bade her son. "You're Father and I just want to let you know how proud we are of you."

"Thanks, Mom," the halfa replied, "That means a lot." He then focused his attention on the Titans, "Are you guys ready?"

"Booyeah!" Cyborg hollered, activating his sonic cannon, "Payback time for destroying my T-Car!"

"They shall pay for putting Raven into captivity," Starfire agreed, her eyes glowing in anticipation.

"Beast Boy ready to kick some ghost but, sir," the green Titan stated, giving a mock salute.

"We're ready when you are," Robin replied with a nod. Danny nodded back and the turned to landmass that was their destination.

"Hold on," he whispered under his breath.

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

It seemed like it would never end.

From within Raven's protective shield, Sam and Valerie were frantically gripping to the ground. The tremors that shook the group were so great that they held on for dear life, hoping they wouldn't be jostled around like pinballs in an arcade. Meanwhile, Raven had a look of tremendous focus on her face as she held back the destructive forces of the explosion that threatened to fry them to a crisp. She silently chanted under her breath as she protected herself and Danny's friends from the intense heat and flames.

Moments that felt like lifetimes passed and soon the trembling began to subside, allowing enough stability in the ground for the girls to stand. Raven could feel that the temperature outside her dome was dissipating as well, so after waiting a few moments, she let go of her control of the shield, causing it to melt away. She soon found herself falling onto her wobbly knees, exhaustion overtaking her. She took ragged gasps and clutched her side as she struggled to regain her composure. Once she caught her breath, she tried to stand up, though her body had other ideas. She once again found herself being helped by Sam and Valerie, as they aided her back onto her feet.

All three girls took a sharp intake of breath as they're eyes analyzed the scene: save for the relatively clean spot where Raven had erected her shield, the floor and walls were covered with scorch marks. Chunks of the ceiling covered the ground; their source was the gaping hole where the flames had pierced it. Other than the new skylight, the only light in the room were the crimson flames that still burned at the room's center, where Valara had stood.

"What the hell happened?" Valerie asked, not sure if she should believe her eyes. She then groaned inwardly, "Gah, I didn't just say that."

"Looks like she bit off more power than she could chew," Sam replied, "Serves her right. I mean, I feel sorry for her and all, but she was seriously messed up."

"You got that right," Valerie agreed. She then realized that their prison was no more, "We should get out of here before anything else happens. Think you can help us out of here Raven?"

The sorceress did not answer, as she was currently scanning the flames that still burned in front of them. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen. Unfortunately, the weird, almost radioactive nature of the flames seemed to cause interference for her telepathic abilities, preventing her from sensing anything. "Raven?" she finally heard. She blinked and then turned to the speaker, Valerie, who had a concerned look on her face. "Is everything ok?"

"Not sure," she answered truthfully. The feeling turned into a buzz in the back of her head now, suddenly warning her that now was probably the best time to leave. Before she could move a muscle, however, she was interrupted by a sound that sent shivers down her spine and caused her buzz to turn into a loud blaring siren: laughter. It first started out as a giggle, but soon grew louder and more boisterous with every moment. All three girls stood there, frozen with fear. Their brains told them to run; this was their chance to escape and find help. Their bodies weren't so obedient. The laughter continued until it became more and more maniacal in nature, bouncing off the walls of the chamber.

Sam was the first to notice them: twin orbs of yellow light that pierced through the bright fires. She realized immediately that these were eyes; they seemed to pierce and burn through her very soul. A grin soon appeared afterwards underneath the eyes, devious, cunning and half crazed. The other two girls noticed and watched as a figure could be seen through the flames and smoke, making its way to the outskirts of the fire.

"You have got to be fing kidding me," Sam swore under her breath as the figure raised a hand. It waived its arm as if commanding the inferno; to the surprise of everyone, the blaze complied, dissipating in an instant, revealing the naked form of Valara…or what they thought was Valara. Tattooed lines, crimson in color and glowing brightly, now covered her body. Along some of the lines was what Raven recognized as her native tongue of Azarian. Her hair was now an inferno itself, its ruby-colored flames dancing and flowing down her back. Her eyes seemed to flash with power, with undertones of dementia.

The ghost, now reborn by fire, looked down at her hands and smiled with crazed delight as they ignited. She spun around, giggling gleefully, like a child who had gotten a new toy for Christmas. "Amazing!" she squealed at her newfound power, "I can feel it! It's coursing though me, burning me up. Oh, I love it!" She stopped twirling and then looked down at her body. She frowned at her naked state, "Although I'm sure he wouldn't mind having a look at me like this, I should have some sort of decency when I show my Phantom what I can do now." Snapping her fingers, flames swirled around her body and then solidified into a dress that left little to the imagination. Her new clothes clung to her body almost as if they were tattooed onto her. It had an extremely low cut, reaching well past her navel and revealing quite a bit of cleavage, as well as her belly button. The skirt was short in front, revealing her legs and long in the back, trailing behind her. Her arms up to her elbows were covered with fingerless gloves and her feet with boots that reached up to her knees. The whole ensemble was red, with yellow line patterns resembling flames decorating it.

"Can't have too much decency, though," she playfully commented. "He'll be so surprised when he sees the new me. He won't be able to resist me now." She leaned her head back and cackled triumphantly and then stopped suddenly, cocking her head sideways as if she heard something. Valara smiled wickedly. "He's here… my boy has come to play."

"Now hold on a second, you fire spitting bimbo," Sam seethed as she stomped towards the ghost. Raven wasn't sure if she was impressed with the display of defiance or shocked by the reckless behavior. Valerie just stared as is Sam had grown another head, "You even think about laying one hand on Danny and I'll…" was all she was able to utter. As Sam launched her tirade, the air began to ripple around Valara. Sam grunt as she was thrown back by a wall of heated air, which sent her sprawling towards the other two girls in a tangled heap. A prison of red flames materialized around them, making them once again prisoners.

"You are lucky I'm in a good mood today," Valara said calmly, "Danny would be considerably cross with me if anything happened to you. Of course, don't count on that for long. You three won't last long once I persuade him away from that silly heroic rubbish he's obsessed with. You're living on borrowed time." Sam replied by sticking out her tongue and giving Valara the finger. "Don't tempt me," Valara growled, "Unfortunately, we'll have to finish this later. I have a date." The ghost smirked and blew a raspberry of her own before disappearing into a puff of smoke and flame.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

The Teen Titans, along with Danny Phantom finally arrived at their destination, the floating island where Raven's signal had been traced to. Danny was the first to arrive, dropping off his 'cargo': he let off Cyborg, who he had been carrying during the trip. A green monkey, which had been hanging onto Phantom's back, jumped off and landed on the ground below. Starfire soon floated besides her teammates, with Robin in tow.

"I have a feeling this is definitely the place we're looking for," Cyborg commented, noting the volcanic landscape. Lava-filled streams flowed through out the backdrop, many fueled by mini-volcanoes that dotted the scene. What seemed to be the center of attention were the onyx spires of volcanic stone, which were unanimously assumed to be the home of their enemies.

"So we're here," Beast Boy stated, "Now what? How do get their attention?"

"I don't think that'll be a problem," Danny replied, for his ghost sense was now on full alert. This new ghost he was feeling was different, yet familiar. It almost felt like Valara, except it had as much, if not more power than Xanthus. He knew that whoever it was, this ghost was already here, watching them. He opened his mouth to warn them to keep a look out, but he didn't have to: she was already there, standing no more than a foot away from him.

His eyes nearly bulged at Valara's new appearance, which he assumed from the gasps and 'damns' sworn quietly behind him, was the consensus among the group. He put up a stern look on his face; not an easy task, due to the fact of the two 'distractions' that seemed to want to burst from Valara's new wardrobe. What perturbed him even more than her clothing (or near lack thereof) or her flaming new hair was her eyes: they seemed to scream desire, even more so than anytime he had met her previously. He could feel the twin, focused beams of purified lust boring down on him. Her eyes did more than merely undress him mentally; they were well past that, which caused Danny to feel quite uncomfortable.

"You came," she said with a wickedly sly smile, "I knew you would."

"Valara, I…" he began to say before he found his lips engulfed by hers. She smothered him, pressing every inch her body upon his. Her leg twisted and entangled around his own, like an anaconda that was squeezing the life out of its prey. Her arms latched onto him like a vice, with no intention of ever letting go. His struggles were only for a moment, before he became lost into her fiery embrace…

* * *

**AN: Duh Du DUUUUUH. So, what will happen to Danny now that he's in the hands of this sly, slightly unhinged seductress? Will he fall for her femininely whiles? Will Raven escape soon enough to stop her new beau from becoming sex slave? Or will Sam beat Raven to the punch?**

**Find out next time, same Funky time, same haunted story**


	34. Chapter 33: Be mine Or Else

Author's Notes: Welcome. New chapter for you all. I hope you enjoy. Hopefully, I've gotten all the bugs out of this one. Let me know how I'm doing; I appreciate the input.

* * *

Haunted Destiny Chapter 33: Be mine… or else

"Dude…" Beast Boy uttered in slightly envious awe. Besides him, Cyborg could only nod in agreement. Both Starfire and Robin had a crimson glow on each of their cheeks, though Robin's seemed to be all the brighter. They all shared the same dumbfounded expressions, their next course of action hazy and unclear, as they witnessed their new ally, Danny Phantom, being smothered by one of the hostile ghosts they had been battling; though they weren't entirely sure that this type of smothering was life threatening or not.

Danny's mind and body were in a state of turmoil. All of his senses were overloaded, especially his sense of touch. He could feel Valara's warmth as her body pressed up upon his. He felt every curve as her hold only grew tighter, showing no signs of letting up, not that his body was complaining. Her lips crushed against his hungrily, as if devouring him alive. She wanted him and wanted him bad and the truth was, she gave him very little reason to resist her.

"But what about Sam and Valerie?" a voice of reason called in the back of his mind, "They're waiting for you to save them. I don't think this is going to help them." Danny knew that the voice was right. He knew he had friends to save, but his body wasn't cooperating. This just felt too damn good. "And what about Raven? She's waiting for you, too. She sacrificed herself to save your friends and to protect you. I don't think she'd approve." This time the voice caught Danny's attention. He was there for a reason. He had to save his friends; he had to save Raven, no matter what. He struggled to regain a sense of self-control, fighting against the pleasurable sensations his body didn't want to stop experiencing.

Fortunately, something happened that quickly changed his body's tune: a sudden spike from temperature in the flaming hot temptress. Valara's touch soon went from comfortably warm to searing hot in mere seconds. Her lips were like hot pokers, which caused pain to course though Danny with each second of excruciating contact. Now having an incentive to get away, Danny's body sprang to life, struggling against the now painful grip. Valara held on tightly, ignoring Danny's muffled cries. His nose was assaulted by the acrid smell of burning ectoplasm.

Danny's salvation soon came from within his own body; like during his fight with Xanthus Pyre only a few days prior, his body went on the offensive in order to protect itself. Something clicked in Danny's mind as his new ice powers went into effect in an effort to bring the dangerously rising temperature down. He felt it expand from his core, spreading out to the rest of his body in order to combat the heat. Just as her touch had an adverse result on Danny, his ice powers seemed to have a similar effect Valara, who quickly loosened her iron grip. Finally Free, Danny pushed himself away from her, creating a gap a few feet apart. Falling onto his hands and knees, the halfa tried to catch his breath, as large puffs of blue exited his mouth. He closed his eyes, remembering the focusing exercises Raven had taught him to keep his new powers in check.

"Mmmm, frosty," Valara cooed, licking her lips as she eyed her prey, "I'm sorry about that. Looks like I got a bit too carried away. I haven't kissed you in such a long time; I just couldn't resist." She glanced downwards, her grin growing even wider, "I can see some part of you has missed me as well." Realizing what she was implying, Danny blushed. "Do you like?" She did a quick spin, showing off her new look to the halfa. Danny's blush deepened as his eyes unwillingly traced the features of his supposed enemy.

He chided himself for the current situation: once again, Valara had found someway to throw him off balance. His only consolation was that with her full attention on him, his family would be able to save Raven and the others. What did worry him was the fact that Xanthus was nowhere to be found. He couldn't feel the malevolent spirit with his ghost sense, either; he hoped that was a sign that the vengeful ghost was far from the area. What he did feel was the intense power coming from Valara herself. When had she become so powerful, anyway? Shaking his head, Danny began to focus once again at the task at hand. He needed to buy time.

"Valara," Danny started after gathering some confidence, "We need to talk." She inched forward in an attempt to regain lost ground between them. Danny quickly responded by backing away. This went on for a few moments, their movements almost resembling a bizarre dance of some sort. Every time Valara moved in closer, Danny would either back up or move out of the way, leaving as much space in between them as he possibly could. After playing this game of cat and mouse for a while, Valara began to pout.

"I thought I told you that you don't have to be shy around me, Danny," she purred alluringly, "I promise to makes things as… satisfying as possible."

"No, really, that's alright," Danny replied, waving his hands quickly in an effort to stop her advancing, "This is fine, really." She responded by sulking, though her eyes still had an air of playful lust.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about," she asked mischievously. Danny coughed nervously as he tried to choose his next words carefully.

"I wanted to talk about us…or rather this…thing between us…"

"Oh?" she queried.

"Yeah. I just don't think that things could work out between us." He paused to gauge her reaction, which so far was unreadable. He was sweating bullets now; whether it was from the heat or from his own jumpiness, he wasn't sure, "It's just that you're a ghost and I'm only half-ghost. I just don't think that we're compatible." He held his breath as he waited for some sort of response, which came but wasn't one he was expecting. He watched as Valara's shoulders seemed to droop and her eyes seemed to find the floor suddenly fascinating. Her flaming mane was tamer now, its intensity not as strong as it was before.

"I'm sorry if that it's a problem," she said in a near whisper, "Unfortunately I didn't have much choice concerning my mortality. My father… he's the one who did this to me." Danny's eyes widened, "I never wanted to be like this. If I could change my situation, I could." Danny stood there, not sure how to respond to his supposed foe. He actually felt pity for her, despite the fact she had his friends captive.

"I…I'm sorry," he consoled, not sure of what else to say.

"Not as sorry as my father was," she replied quietly, a hint of malice creeping into her voice, "Don't worry about him; he won't be bothering you anymore. Fate seems to have caught up with him." The ghost boy wasn't sure he wanted to know what exactly she meant by that, "I've actually had some thought in our little situation; something that will solve our problem."

"Uh, really?"

"It's quite simple, really," she started to explain, the sadness in her voice gone and now replaced by enthusiasm, "I can't go back to being alive again; not without some spell that might cause something silly like the end of the world or something like that. I was thinking that since you're already half-dead, all we have to do is help you along." His right hand ignited as she held it up. Danny's face dropped ten shades of color as he realized what she was implying. He began to back away slowly as she continued explain her 'solution', "It's actually not that bad, once you get past all the pain. I didn't want to do it before because it might cause some scarring, but if our difference is that much of a problem…"

"A-actually, that won't be necessary," he quickly sputtered. His mind couldn't wrap around of how easily her mood and state of mind changed; from her solemn tone of her untimely and unwanted demise to her enthusiasm in wanting to do the same to him. He sighed and once again tried to find the right words that would diffuse the current situation, "That's not going to help. I just don't think this is going to work between us. I mean, it's not you; you're a very…attractive person. Now is just not a good time for me. I think it's for the best that we just be friends." He paused once again, not sure of what to expect.

"Just friends?" she repeated, to which Danny replied with a nod. He noted that her face was once again unreadable, which he wasn't sure was good or not. "Just friends?" she reiterated a bit louder. Her left eye began to twitch before both narrowed. "Just FRIENDS?!?!" she screamed this time, as her hair flared up, shooting flames into the sky.

"Oh, crap," Danny could only mutter before all hell broke loose.

SMVGRRSMVGRRSMVGRR

To say that Sam was restless was an understatement.

The gothic teen couldn't stand staying in one place, as she paced in a circle inside the fiery jail cell she shared. A scowl looked as if it was permanently engraved onto her face. She had been doing this ever since Valara had disappeared, muttering under her breath as she marched. She suddenly stopped and raised a pointing finger, irritation oozing from her voice, "How can you stay calm in a time like this?! That ghost could be doing who knows what to Danny!" Her question was directed at Raven, who was currently sitting Indian style, her eyes closed as she tried to meditate. One eye opened in response to Sam's question.

"Getting worked up over our situation isn't going to help Danny and the others," she said coolly, "Neither is wasting your energy by digging a trench into the floor. I'm trying to recover as much strength as I can so that when we do get out, we can be of use." In reality, Raven felt just as agitated as Sam probably was. She knew, however, that there wasn't anything that any of them could do, which made the situation even more infuriating.

"You know she has a point, Manson," Valerie spoke up as she sat in a corner, her arms hugging her knees.

"You, too?" Sam exasperated, "I would have thought you'd be the first one to want a piece of that bitch."

"I don't think I know what I want to do right now," Valerie replied with a sigh, "The ghost I blame for ruining my life ends up being the boy I thought I really liked. I don't know whether to help him or kick his ass myself." Raven listened silently to the confused girl's thoughts, her mediating forgotten. Sam hesitated, unable to find words to say to her rival turned ally. Before any of the girls could utter another word, an electronic melody pierced the silence. Sam and Valerie turned to the direction of Raven, who was pulling out her Titan commlink. Its screen showed Cyborg's id.

"Cyborg?" Raven asked hopefully.

"Nope, but I think I could do a good Cyborg impression," a voice replied from the other side of the link, "Can I assume that this is Raven?"

"Wait, I know that voice from anywhere," Sam said as she sat next to Raven, "Tuck, is that you?"

"Sam?" Tucker replied, "Man, am I glad to hear your voice. How are you guys? Is Valerie with you?"

"Yeah, everyone is here," Sam confirmed, "Where are you, anyway?"

"We're close," the techno geek replied, "Is the coast clear?"

"No ghosts as far as we can tell," Sam replied. Before she even finished her sentence, the Fenton's Specter Speeder phased through the chamber wall. The vehicle landed a few feet besides the cell and its side hatch opened. Jack Fenton immediately burst out, did a tumbling roll and landed in a crouching position, an ecto-bazooka in hand. Maddie followed, performing the same maneuver as both surveyed the area for any hostiles. Sam rolled her eyes but a smile formed on her face. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she had missed the Fentons' eccentric behavior. Following the two elder Fentons was Jazz, who brandished a weapon of her own. Tucker was last to cross the threshold.

"Suffering spooks!" Jack exclaimed as he gave himself an experimental poke, "We phased through the wall just like ghosts!"

"Yeah, things are like that here," Tucker explained, "We can phase through stuff here like they can in the real world."

"I'm as eager to study the phenomenon as you are, Jack honey, but now isn't the time," Maddie said to her husband before he could get distracted, "We need to focus, dear."

"Sam, Valerie, Raven!" Jazz called as she made a beeline to the closest wall of fire, "Is everyone ok?"

"More or less," Sam confirmed, "You wouldn't happen to have the key to this, would you?"

"I've got the key right here!" Jack bellowed as he leveled his weapon at the prison. Jazz and Tucker eeped before jumping out of the line of fire.

"Mr. Fenton, wait!" Sam, Valerie and Raven cried in unison Jack pulled the trigger, letting loose a beam of pure ecto-plasmic energy. The beam, however, simply bounced off the bars, causing the would-be rescuers to scatter as it slammed into a wall behind them.

"That worked well," Raven deadpanned.

"Step aside, dear," Maddie called as she pulled out a bazooka of her own. Attached to the back end of the weapon were a series of cables that led to the Specter Speeder.

"Wait, are you sure that's such a good idea, Mom?" Jazz asked in confusion, "I mean, you saw what happened when Dad tried it."

"Don't worry Jazz, honey. This is one your Father and I have been working on to combat the new ghosts. This should do the trick quite nicely," Maddie directed her attention to the three captives, "I think you three should try to stay clear. There are still a few kinks we need to work out." She lifted the heavy-looking weapon and aimed it towards the jail cell. It whined into life, its muzzle's glow slowly intensifying. What was unusual about it was that it gave off an icy bluish radiance instead of the normal green their weapons normally gave off. Taking heed of Maddie's warning, the girls huddled in the farthest corner, while Raven provided protection with her powers.

As Maddie pulled the trigger, a blast of blue ectoplasm erupted from the muzzle. Instead of bouncing off the fiery bars, however, it hit the barrier tried and true. The effect was almost immediate: the glow of the bars began to diminish and then stop all together as ice encased every one. Maddie tried to hold on to the weapon, as it not only started to vibrate, but also it was becoming almost impossible to wield due to the dropping temperature. Icicles began to form on the gun from the extreme cold and lights began flashing on the panel, indicating it was going well beyond its designed specifications. Unable to hold on to it any longer, she let go of the trigger and dropped the firearm, shivering from the cold. She felt two large arms embrace her, providing needed warmth.

"Man, that was hot!" Jack exclaimed as he imparted his services as a makeshift blanket. "But you should have let me do that, Mads. I wanted to fire the new weapon!" Maddie smiled at her husbands sulking.

The weapon had done its job, as there was now a wall of ice that replaced the barrier of fire. Sam walked up to the glacial barricade and gave it a swift steel-toed kick, causing the ice to shatter. "Glad to see you guys are OK…" Tucker began before he was tackled. He looked down to find Sam had firmly wrapped her arms around him.

"Don't get any ideas, you perv," Sam said as she disentangled herself from Tucker, "I'm just happy to see you, that's all."

"Uh huh," Tucker remarked in a teasing tone, "No lady can resist the charms of T- OWW!" He rubbed his arm in the spot Sam had punched him.

"Cut the crap, Tuck. Where is…" She paused when she realized that the Fentons were close by. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Where's Danny?"

Jazz noticed where Sam's attention was focused on, "Don't worry, Sam. Mom and Dad already know about Danny." Sam was taken aback by the news.

"Wait, is he alright?" Valerie butted in with a hint of concern. Tucker and Jazz looked nervously at the girl, not sure what kind of an explanation they should give.

"She knows, too," Sam answered their unasked question, "One of our hosts spilled the beans." Tucker took this revelation in and then began to laugh unexpectedly. Sam couldn't help but gawk at her friend's weird behavior, "What the heck is so funny at a time like this?"

"I was just thinking that Danny can't even keep his secret without our help." Despite the dire situation, Sam's face soon broke into her own grin as a chuckle erupted from her lips.

"Makes you wonder how he lasted for so long without us," she commented. "Speaking of which, where exactly is he?"

"Well…" Tucker hesitated.

"Tuck, spill it. Where is he?"

"He should be outside," Jazz answered, "He and the other Titans are keeping the ghosts distracted while we sneak in and break you guys out." A worried look appeared on Sam's face.

"Then what are we waiting for?" she asked, "We need to get out there and help them out. I'm definitely itching for some payback."

"Well, actually…" Tucker started with a guilty tone. Sam eyed him suspiciously and then focused her gaze towards Jazz who had her own anxious expression. Sam's eyes narrowed as she put two and two together.

"No way," she uttered, crossing her arms, "I'm not going to let him do this again."

"Sam…"

"Don't you even dare 'Sam' me, Tucker," she hollered, pointing a finger at her friend, "I'm not going to let him just throw us aside again."

"Sam, he's not throwing you aside," Jazz piped in, trying to deflate the situation. She and Tucker both knew this was how she was going to react.

"Then what the heck is he doing then?" Sam asked accusingly, "We're his friends! We should be out there helping him kick that ghost's butt. I'm not going to stand on the sidelines and watch when I can be out there helping him!"

"And how in the world are we going to do that?" Valerie broke in, "You saw how powerful that ghost was. Neither of us lasted that long against Walker, so what makes you think we can help Danny now?"

"What about that gun Mrs. Fenton used just now?" Sam queried, a slight desperate look on her face, though her amethyst eyes were full of defiance, "We can help with that, can't we?"

"Actually…" Maddie interjected, holding up the sparking cannon, "It was only a prototype model. It's unfortunately only good for one shot. Even if we can fix it now, it'll only break down again."

"Sam, I know you're worried about Danny but right now there's nothing we can do." Tucker knew his words were somewhat hollow; in truth, he, too felt they needed to be out there, fighting along side their friend; but, from what he heard about the how powerful these new ghosts were, he knew they were well out of their league.

"You don't understand, Tucker," Sam pleaded, fighting off tears, "There has to be something. If…if something happens to Danny…If Danny…" she choked back a sob, "It'll be our fault! He is fighting to save us…"

"Sam, you know how he is," Jazz explained, "Danny is overprotective of us to a fault. He's always worrying obsessively; that's just how he is. If we're out there, not only are we going to be in the way, but all he'll able to do is worry about us. He's not going to able to fight at one hundred percent. We'd be hurting him more than helping. Even now, Danny's not sure whether you guys are fine or not. Just knowing you guys are safe will be more than enough help to him," Sam looked like she wanted to retort, but all she could do is bite her lip absent mindedly. She knew that Jazz was right, though she didn't want to admit it. She sighed as her shoulders drooped in begrudged defeat. She suddenly felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and was shocked to find it was Raven's.

The sorceress allowed a slight smile to play on her lips, "Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't die." Sam's mouth widened into a thankful smile as she regarded the heroine.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Jazz asked, noticing the bandages around Raven's abdomen, "It doesn't look like you're in any shape to…"

"I can handle it," Raven lied, waving her hand dismissively, "The Titans have dealt with worse. I'll live." Jazz looked like she wanted argue but held herself back, knowing it wouldn't her much good to do so.

"Raven?" Sam asked meekly, "Can you throw a few licks in for me?" Raven couldn't help but smile.

"I'll see what I can do." And with that, the girl was enveloped by her dark energy and disappeared into the ground.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Danny's head was still reeling from the eruption.

Chaos seemed to overtake everything. The moment Valara began to scream, an invisible wall of heated air slammed into Phantom and the Titans, sending them sprawling back. The landscape began to shift, as if responding to their mistress's rage: cracks fissures began to form onto the ground, sending geysers of sulfuring like smoke and ash into the air. Lava began to flow more freely, breaking free of its normal ways and overflowing all over the scene. Waves of fire emitted from the fire ghost, threatening to consume everything in its path.

The titans found shelter behind an outcrop of rocks close by. It provided protection against the inferno, though from the looks of it, they knew it wasn't going to last long. All they could do now is wait, unsure of how everything would play out. Danny unexpectedly phased out of the ground next to them, with a rather sheepish look on his face.

"Man, are you crazy?!" Cyborg hollered over the deafening noise of fire and brimstone, "You never, EVER tell a girl you just want to just be friends. Especially the crazy, psycho, overly obsessive ones with the fire powers!"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Danny yelled apologetically.

"I may still be new to Earth customs regarding the dating, but even I know that that was most unwise," Starfire interjected.

"Alright, I'm sorry!" the halfa relented, "Now the question is, how do we get her to stop?"

"You tell us," Cyborg replied, "She's your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"Until we know that Raven and the girls are safe, she is now." Danny heaved a sigh in response when suddenly everything became stable again. The ground stopped quaking, the heated air suddenly dropped in temperature, and the roar of the blaze diminished significantly. At the same moment, the large rocks that had protected them collapsed, leaving the group of teens out in the open.

"Oh, Danny…" a voice purred, "My temper has a mind of its own, it seems," Valara stood before them, her hair still flaring. Her left eye intermittently twitched and a fake smile adorned her face, "I'm just going to pretend you didn't really mean those cruel things you said. I know we can make things work, Danny, but it's going to take an effort from both of us." She strained the last part, giving it a menacing flare, subtly indicating that Danny really didn't have a choice. Danny swallowed as her hand once again ignited into life, "It would be much easier for the both of us if you just cooperated; I wouldn't want to burn that sexy face of yours, now would I?"

She smiled devilishly as she stepped forward. Before she was able to take another step, Valara was interrupted by a familiar bird call. Bursting from between them, a bird of black energy emerged, spreading its wings in order to deter Valara from proceeding. The construct shrank until it took the form of Raven, her hood up and her eyes narrowed.

"Dude, Raven!"

"Booyeah! Welcome back, girl!"

"It is glorious to see that you are well, friend Raven!"

"Welcome back, Raven."

Greetings were shouted out in unison as the Titans all welcomed the return of their friend and teammate. Starfire, unable to contain herself, promptly gave Raven one of her signature bear hugs from behind, eliciting a gasp and a groan from the sorceress, "Star! My ribs," she hissed. Starfire release her immediately, apologizing copiously. The others shared their joy for her relative well being; all of them except one.

Danny's throat took that moment to become unbearably dry, rendering his voice unusable. In the back of his mind, he had a hundred different ways to say he was sorry; a hundred different ways to say how grateful he was that she was alright. For some weird reason, however, every single one seemed inadequate and hollow. She had done so much for him in the past few days: she was the one who helped him break out of the prison that was his mind. She was the one who helped him realize what being a hero truly was. She was the one who helped him rebuild the bridges he so foolishly tried to burn down. And he repaid her by breaking the trust between them. He had made her cry, probably made her regret their meeting.

He felt his body freeze as her gaze turned towards him. He was relieved to find that the gaze was not full of hate or spite. There was still pain there, however, which caused him to wince inwardly; but mixed in with the pain was compassion, which gave Danny a little bit of hope. What alleviated the anxiousness in his heart a bit more was the small ghost of a smile she gave him.

"I kept my promise," she spoke, "I protected your friends. They should be on their way back home now." Relief swept over the halfa like a tidal wave. He was glad to hear that his family and Tucker had come through.

"Raven, I," he began to utter, hoping to apologize and give his thanks, though which he wanted to convey first, he wasn't sure. She stopped him in mid-sentence, her knowing expression showing that she knew what he wanted to say.

"It's ok," she replied, "We'll talk about it later. Now's not the best time." She then turned her attention towards Valara, whose temper was on the verge of going nuclear.

"You!" the ghost roared, pointing her finger accusingly, "How did you… no, it doesn't matter. I don't care how you escaped. I'm not going to let you steal him away from me, like everything else in my existence." Her hands and hair were burning brightly, their crimson glow casting shadows upon her face.

"I don't have to steal anything; he isn't yours to begin with," Raven countered.

"We'll have to see about that," Valara seethed. The lines were now drawn. Both girls eyed each other as the battle was set to begin.

* * *

Author's Notes: Bwahaha. Another cliffie. So, who is going to win the upcoming battle? Will Raven be able to fight despite her injuries? Will Danny be able to resist Valara's charms for much longer? Will the Titans prevail? I wonder who knows… 


	35. Chapter 34: Fire and Ice

**Author's Notes: I apologize in advance if the fight scenes stink. I still think I don't do them very well, so please be gentle. I hope I continue doing a good job at ferreting out all those pesky typos I'm famous for. I'm glad you guys appreciate my effort for giving you a more polished piece of literature.**

**Now, what's next? The fight begins and things may go from bad to worse…**

* * *

Haunted Destiny Chapter 34: Fire and. Ice

The silence was deafening. The six teenaged heroes waited, watching for any signs of movement from the enemy. Drops of sweat traced lines on all of their faces; some of it was due to the unbearable heat but most of it was from the equally heavy tension. Danny's knuckles cracked absentmindedly, his eyebrow creased in concentration. With his family now safe, his mind no longer had to be worried about their safety. Now all he had to do was keep them safe. He knew that this battle was probably going to be his toughest yet, possibly even more demanding than his battles with his future self or Pariah Dark. At the same time, however, he felt an overwhelming sense of peace and reassurance. He couldn't tell whether it was because he had some help now or whether it was Raven in particular who was the source.

Raven's face was as usual hidden behind her hood. What could be seen was serenity and impassiveness, her usual demeanor whenever in battle. Inside her mind was a different story. She was a mix of emotions: she felt anger at Valara for causing Danny so much grief but at the same time felt pity for what she went through with her father. Raven could certainly relate to negative patriarchal role models. She was relieved to see her friends were fine, especially Danny, but at the same time was concerned for their safety. Valara was as powerful as her father now, who they had a hard time dealing with before. That was bad enough, but at the same time, her emotions were as wild and uncontrollable, which made her even more dangerous. There was also the fact that the pain in Raven's ribs was returning, making it even harder to think or breathe.

Uncertainty was something they all had on their minds, Robin's in particular. He tried to tell himself that this was like any other battle. They were the Titans, after all. They've faced adversaries that were quite powerful and, when it came to Trigon, even god-like. Even with their track record, however, there was an uneasiness that lay at the pit of his stomach. Robin didn't necessarily fear for himself, but for his team; more specifically, a certain red-headed alien on the team. He knew she was strong; stronger than he could ever be and yet she was so fragile at the same time. He wanted to protect her with all his being and hoped that he had the strength to do so.

Robin glanced towards he and saw the determination in her eyes; a stark contrast to her normal jovial nature. Starfire was normally a kind soul, but she was always there to fight for her friends. She, too was thinking about how she would be able to turn protect her friends. She was so happy to see Raven back, though she knew they weren't out of danger yet. She trusted Robin to lead them to victory, though worry still haunted her mind.

Cyborg was wired and ready for some action. He, like the rest, was happy for Raven's return. The Titans were practically family and Raven, specifically, was like a sister to him. He was more than willing to defend his family from anything. The mechanical titan clenched his jaw and cocked his sonic cannon. Next to him was his normal partner in crime, Beast Boy. The green, elfin-like hero's face was noticeably absent of any jesting. Even he knew that this was a battle that wasn't to be taken lightly. He could feel it: the instincts of all the animals he was able to transform into were screaming. It was something that didn't happen very often. What was even rarer was that they all were in agreement that the upcoming battle was nothing to joke about. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he tried to amass enough courage.

All of this took mere seconds, but to the Titans it felt more like hours. While the apprehension wound up even tighter within the heroes, their adversary seemed unperturbed. Valara's face bore a determined, confident look. She knew she had nothing to worry about. The power she had taken from her father was more than enough to ensure her victory. Danny would be hers, whether he wanted to or not. She ignored the others; there was no way any of those mortals could harm her now. Instead, she focused on the one person who stood a whisper of a chance of standing in her way: Raven.

That half-demon wench was becoming an annoyance at every turn. She could feel her anger swelling up again, intensifying the fire in her chest. That bitch would pay for even going near her Danny. She would pay and then Danny would be Valara's once again. Her hands balled up into fists, which then ignited. She watched as her enemies went rigid. She unfurled her hands and raised them in a fighting stance, putting her attention solely on Raven. She was going to enjoy this. A lot.

"Well, are you going to make me wait all day?" Valara said, feigning boredom, "Oh well. If you won't come to me, then…" A fireball appeared above each of her outstretched palms. She grinned devilishly as she launched one at the Titans.

"Titans, scatter!" Robin cried, though the order wasn't needed. His team was had already leaped into action, launching themselves out of harms way before the attack reached them. The fireball detonated once it hit the ground they had previously been occupying, deafening them with an earsplitting boom and obscuring the immediate area with smoke and debris. Valara continued to smirk, her eyes glowing with power and confidence as she awaited a reply to her act of aggression.

She didn't have to wait long: Robin soon burst out of the cloud in mid-jump, his Bo staff extended, glowing with green ecto-plasm. He struck with precision accuracy, swinging the weapon in a wide arc. Instead of hitting something solid, however, Robin's weapon simply passed through the ghostly sorceress. Not missing a beat, the boy wonder, continued his assault, swinging and stabbing his staff in repetition. Valara, however, made no effort to move; in fact, she struggled not to laugh at Robin's ineffective efforts. With a final swipe, the teen hero jumped back to a safe distance to inspect his now smoking stump of a weapon.

Throwing away the smoldering shard of metal to the side, he pulled out two birdarangs and smashed them together, creating a sword. He continued his assault, trying to slice into his foe, but to no avail. Valara yawned, finding the lack of a challenge extremely boring. With a playful gleam in her eye, she stabbed a flaming hand into the boy wonder. Robin, quickly jumped out of the way… just as a well timed sonic blast slammed into the sorceress, sending her flying.

"Booyeah!" Cyborg triumphantly cried, glad that their plan was actually working. Valara quickly righted her self and swiftly dodged another beam of sonic energy. She growled in annoyance and was about to retaliate when a starbolt hit her from behind, sending her crashing back into the ground. A downpour of the green bolts of energy soon followed, showering the landscape with wanton destruction. Directly above was Starfire, who surveyed the damage, her eyes and hands glowing and prepared to attack again. She couldn't make out where the enemy was through all the smoke her assault had kicked up. Suddenly, a stream of fire erupted through the smoke, heading directly towards the alien girl. Starfire easily dodged the flames.

Valara was beyond annoyed now. The Titans were more exasperating than she expected. She fired another stream into the air, hoping to permanently ground the flying one when an emerald ram, broke through the smoke that had surrounded her, slamming her head on in the gut. She yelped and swung wildly at the animal. Beast Boy, who was now a monkey, easily dodged her attempts at frying him. He then grew until he was a crocodile, swinging his now powerful tail at the ghost girl. Valara vaulted backwards to avoid the swing, only to be hit in the side by a rock engulfed in black energy.

Robin smiled as he watched the battle. His plan was working perfectly. It was a technique the Titans used on occasion against their enemies. They knew that the Pyres were too powerful to take on directly. The best way attack an enemy like them was to attack from all sides; one of them would distract their opponent while the rest would take turns attacking them, keeping them off balance. The secret was to be quick and to keep their distance. The smokescreen created by the damage also served to confuse her and to keep them hidden. He was glad that Raven deduced his strategy without any explanation and joined into the fray. Once they had her sufficiently confused it would be up to Phantom and his ice powers to finish the job. Seeing that it was his turn to attack again, the boy wonder launched a volley of cryo-discs at the ghost, hopefully to slow her down.

Enough was enough. They were just playing with her now, which infuriated Valara. How dare they tease her like this? She screamed indignantly, her hair now burning brighter than before. The air around her rippled from the heat and then expanded around her, the wall of air blowing away any smoke that was left. The discs that were headed her way exploded upon impact of the blast. A dome of fire surrounded her just as more starbolts rained down from the sky. The signature blue beam of Cyborg's sonic cannon battered the red shield uselessly.

"Not fair at all," she remarked mischievously, "Though I would normally love the attention, this doesn't concern you. This quarrel is between me, the wench Raven and my dear Danny. If you're looking for someone to play with, however…" She lifted her hand as the tattoos on it began to glow ominously. She bent down and in one swift motion impaled the ground. The lines in arm seemed to take on a life of their own as they snaked through the rocks, spreading out in all directions like the roots of a tree. The ground began to tremble, threatening to throw the Titans off their feet. Large fissures and cracks began to form as the earth shifted. The roar of the rumbling was soon surpassed by the roaring of a different kind. The ground exploded in numerous places, revealing the same fiery beasts the titans had faced back in Jump City. Like their predecessors, they seemed to be made of volcanic rock, with glowing magma showing through cracks all over their body and flaming manes adorning their head, in a red that mirrored that of their new master.

"Now, now, my pets," Valara began to warn, "Don't play with your toys too roughly. Mommy isn't going to get you any new ones." The creature bellowed in reply, making a dash towards the grounded Titans. Starfire immediately began to lend a hand, firing towards the oncoming animals in order to halt their advance. Unfortunately, she wasn't expecting what happened next: two of the beasts leapt into the air, running as if they were on solid ground. Starfire uttered a surprise yelp as her air superiority was contested. "Now that there are no longer any distractions…" Valara held up a hand just as a boulder came crashing towards her. The rock suddenly just stopped just millimeters from her palm. She sighed and began to glare at Raven, who had a rather shocked look on her face, "You look surprised. You shouldn't be. This domain was created by my father. Since I've… inherited his powers, it now belongs to me. I control everything here." Snapping her fingers, the rock suddenly shattered into smaller, sharper pieces, dozens in all. Each of the stones began to glow brightly with heat. Waving her hand, she sent her the red hot stones flying towards her rival gleefully.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven commanded, her hands crackling with power as she created a defensive barrier. The rocks detonated on her shield like ammunition shells, their explosions shaking her as she struggled to keep herself protected. Sweat began to form on her brow as the stress and exhaustion of the last few days continued to take a toll on her.

"What's the matter, Raven?" the fiery ghost asked cheekily, "Can't handle the heat? Not many people can." She fired a continuous stream of fire at the shield, weakening it further.

"I think I can help with that," a voice called out from the side. A blue blast of energy collided with the crimson fire, causing a rather violent reaction, the two extremes in temperature creating an explosion. Both Raven and Valara shielded their faces as steam and pieces of ice hit them both. Raven felt a shiver run down her back as a cold hand was placed upon her shoulder, "You doing ok?" Danny asked with a wayward smile. The ghost teen had been in reluctant hiding, waiting for Robin's signal to attack when the time was right. Unfortunately, the plan wasn't working quite well at the moment, so Phantom decided to try and lend a hand.

"Took you long enough," Raven sardonically replied, the corners of her mouth curled slightly in the faintest of smiles."I'm fine…" she started to say, though her wobbling knees said otherwise. Danny grabbed her by the arm to steady her footing.

"Sure you are," Danny retorted, "If you're too hurt to fight, you should have escaped with my family…"

"I said I'm fine," she repeated with emphasis, "You don't have to worry about me."

"There you are, my boy," Valara called out as the steam cleared, "Be a dear and step away from that tramp, won't you? I'm in the mood for some fried black bird."

Danny imposed himself in front of Raven, a serious look chiseled on his face, "Valara, you need to stop this, now. This isn't going to solve anything."

"Can't you see I'm doing this for us??" Valara pleaded, "Can't you see that this hussy is just blinding you? Once she is out of the way, you and I can get back to getting to know each other a little better."

"I'm not going to let you hurt her," he countered, not moving an inch from where he stood.

"Danny, dear, that wasn't a suggestion. Move, _no__w_." Valara's eyes twitched with displeasure.

"Then it looks like we have a problem, now doesn't it," the halfa stated defiantly. He now had his own grin as he stared her down.

"If that's your choice," Valara stated simply, her hand ignited once again. Her eyes flashed menacingly as she continued, "If you think I won't punish you for defying me, guess again." A ring of fire flared to life, surrounding her. Danny wondered what she was up too, until he recognized this as something Xanthus had done in the previous fight. A tendril from the fire circled her on its own, growing larger until it took on the form of a red dragon. The serpent of fire watched its prey with piercing yellow eyes akin to its mistress's. It snorted, exhaling crimson smoke as it continued to circle, waiting for Valara's command. It soon came as the fiery sorceress held out her hand towards the two who dared to challenge her.

The dragon obeyed, shooting at top speed towards Danny and Raven. It was smaller than the one Xanthus had used, but Danny noticed immediately that it was a lot faster. Their reaction was immediate; Danny and Raven headed in opposite directions in an effort to evade the attack. Seconds later, the dragon hit where they had once been standing, causing an earth shaking explosion. The blast wave overtook the heroes, sending them tumbling. Danny shook off his shellshock just in time to see that Valara had formed three more of her fire dragons. Two of them split up, one of them heading straight for Raven and the other to him. The third continued to circle Valara, staying behind as backup.

Danny flew at top speed, trying to keep as much distance from the serpent as possible. Unfortunately for him, as a backwards glance conveyed, it was much faster than he realized, as it was quickly closing the gap. Danny decided to use the landscape as a means of evasion. The halfa put his training to the test, bobbing and weaving around rock pillars and mini-volcanoes in hope of loosing his pursuer. The dragon was not deterred, however; it simply dodged the obstacles with ease, adding speed to reach its quarry.

"Well, if that doesn't work," Danny murmured to himself as he turned to face his pursuer, still keeping his speed as he flew backwards. The saurian hissed hungrily at him, its flames waving in the wind as it got closer. Danny focused on his new powers as his hand was engulfed with bluish white energy. He took careful aim and fired, a shard of ice firing from his palm. Though the dragon tried to dodge, the ice still hit its mark, piercing the beast, causing it to bellow in pain. It only slowed it down, however. The ice was already melting and the dragon looked angrier than before. Danny quickly fired again, sending a small hailstorm of icicles. It writhed in agony from being impaled numerous times. The flames of its body flickered and then extinguished, finally defeated. Breathing a sigh of relief, Danny made a b-line back towards Raven.

RADPRADPRADPRADPRADPRA

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Raven uttered as her hands crackled with magic. She was having a considerable harder time with her adversary than she'd like to admit. The dragon was considerably fast and maneuverable, which made it hard to keep track of. It almost seemed that it was playing with her, which she didn't doubt in the least; its strategy consisted of hit and run tactics, where it would try to rush into her before veering off. Her condition didn't help matters; the pain in her abdomen was back with a vengeance, dulling her concentration. Her body was also amassing quite a number of burns from just getting near her enemy. She had tried to use her powers to shield herself with rocks and other debris, but the dragon either dodged her efforts or simply smashed through the obstructions with little effort.

Opting for a more direct approach, Raven attacked with a bolt of dark energy, which struck the dragon head on, seemingly disorientating it. She continued her assault, knocking around the construct with each blast. She was about to attack again when she suddenly felt a tingle on the back of her neck. She erected a shield just as a high speed ball of fire connected. The blast shattered her shield instantly, sending her sprawling. She moaned as she tried to get up, the world swirling around her. She froze when she heard the hiss; she knew that the dragon was about to strike, but her body wasn't cooperating.

Just as the beast was about to claim it's prize, a bolt of blue energy collided with its head, freezing it solid. The creature ceases to exist, as its head shattered. Raven felt a hand lay on her shoulder, "You ok?" Danny asked with concern in his voice. She nodded and accepted his hand as he helped her up. He threw up a shield quickly, just as another blast detonated. He was lucky enough to construct it out of his cryoplasm, as its icy blue glow protected them. The source of the attack was the dragon that had held back, its mouth open as it readied another fireball. Two more dragons suddenly formed around Valara, readying blasts of their own. Soon a barrage battered Danny's makeshift shield, causing the halfa to buckle under the strain.

Raven saw the shield flicker and immediately went into action; grabbing Danny and encasing them both in her energy before both of them vanished, causing the shield to finally collapse and the spot they had been occupying to be obliterated. The two appeared moments later behind some rocks, both somewhat exhausted. "That could have worked out better," Danny commented sardonically, "We couldn't even get near her. Any ideas?"

"Robin seemed to have the right idea," Raven said after catching her breath, "The only way we can beat her now is to catch her off guard."

"Surprise attack it is," Danny concurred, "You think you could get us close enough?"

"I can try. Have anything in mind?"

"As a matter of fact…"

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

"Oh where could my Phantom be?" Valara mused. Her creations were currently scouring the area for any trace of both Phantom and that slut, Raven. She knew they would be coming back eventually, though she wasn't worried. She had no doubt that she would succeed in her plans. It was only a matter of time. In the meanwhile, she could at least have some fun.

Her planning was cut short, however, by a sound from above. Valara looked up just as a rather large stalactite of ice, encased in black energy, began to descend. Her dragons went into action, flying to meet the threat head-on. The two magics collided with one another, both sides struggling to overtake the other. The battle resulted in an explosion, as extreme heat reacted to extreme cold, sending pieces of ice everywhere. In the confusion, Valara almost didn't notice Danny, who shot through the center of the cloud of steam and mist. His hand was glowing brightly as he pulled it back, ready to punch the sorceress of fire. Valara was ready to dodge, but found that her feet were now bound to the ground by Raven's magic. Valara, seeing that there was no where to run, held out her hand and put up a barrier of fire. Danny's fist connected and once again, heat struggled against cold. Danny proved to be victorious, as his hand broke through the shield and slammed into Valara's palm. The temptress uttered a shriek as a thick sheet of ice began to cover her arm. Danny found himself being hit by another burst of hot air as he was sent flying.

Valara stared at her hand in pure disbelief. Her gaze went back and forth from Danny to her arm and back again in confusion. Her brow Furrowed as she placed her hand right below the frozen area. She bit her lip and flared up her free hand, causing both Raven and Danny to wince as she effectively caused the ice and her frozen hand to shatter, without even a peep. Now left with only a stump, she closed her eyes and focused and as she did so, tendrils of fire formed at the end of her amputated arm. The fire formed a familiar shape and soon solidified as a new hand now appeared.

"Why?" she asked, "Why do you keep defying me? Why won't you love me? I… we can be so happy together…" Danny faulted, his hand flickering out and his advanced slowed down to a crawl. Her almost sincere look of confusion served only to put his own emotions into turmoil. He did the only thing he could do: he answered her question.

"I can't," Danny replied, his voice softening, "I can't be who you want me to be. I can't love you like you want me to. You kidnap my friends, you threaten the people I've sworn to protect. How am I supposed to react? I'm sorry for whatever your father did to you but what you're doing isn't right. You can't make me love you." He watched as she seemed to soak his words in. In the back of his mind, Danny hoped that he had somehow reached some voice of reason in the ghosts mind. Any fight that could be solved without conflict was ok in his book. Her eyes closed as it looked like she was mulling over what Danny had said. She soon opened her eyes again, though he noticed immediately something was different. The vulnerable expression that was on her face just moments before was now gone, replaced by something hard, something sterile.

"Father was right about you," she said after a few moments of silence. Danny responded with a confused stare, "Those people, those humans that you care about so much; they hold you back. You have so much potential… we have so much potential and you don't even see it because of them. There's only really one way to solve all this." The next sentence she uttered sent a chill down Danny's back, "They all need to burn…"

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**AN: Awww, crap. And you thought things couldn't get any hotter. I'll try to get the next chapter coming sooner rather than later. See you next time.**


	36. Chapter 35: Burn, Baby, Burn

**Author's Notes: And here is the next chapter. I got my groove back in a biiig way and got this out in a hurry. Hopefully, it's still up to snuff as my previous chapters.**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 35: Burn, Baby, Burn…

"They all need to burn…" Valara stated with an icy stare, "Everyone who dares try to take you away from me. I'll burn them all, every last man, woman and child till there is nothing but ash. I'll reduce all of the cities of that wretched planet to ruble and scorch the ground till there is nothing but glass." She paused for a moment, her face becoming slightly soft, almost somber, "And then, maybe then, when there is nothing left for you to care about, nothing left for you to protect; maybe then, you'll love me…" Danny's throat went dry a from Valara's twisted declaration. He knew from the look in her eyes that she was entirely serious; she meant every single word. His mind couldn't comprehend why she would go so far, just for him. He knew right then and there that there was no turning back. He willed himself out of his stupor and took an offensive stance.

"I can't let you do that," he declared, "We can't let you do that." Valara regarded him silently.

"I know," she responded solemnly as her eyes flashed yellow. Before Danny could even move an inch, fire engulfed her hand. Four of her dragon constructs leapt from the flames, shooting straight for the young halfa. Danny tried to evade the oncoming attack, but at such a short range, the creatures were too quick for him. One of them reached him first, sinking its fangs deep into his right shoulder, piercing both spandex and flesh alike. The others soon followed, each of them fastening themselves onto a limb. Danny bit back a scream as their hot, razor sharp teeth sent searing pain throughout his body. The attack sent Danny flying back, the dragons carrying him as far away from their master as possible.

"Danny!" Raven cried as her mind caught up to what was happening. Despite her exhausted state, she lifted her hand, intent on casting a spell to retrieve him. Before she could even find the focus to do so, however, Valara was already in her way, an eerie smirk plastered on her face.

"Let's chat," Valara declared, before a fist slammed into Raven's gut, knocking the wind out of her. The young sorceress fell backwards, rolling a few times before coming to a stop. Raven sucked in air painfully as she struggled to get onto her hands and knees. A sudden fit of coughing erupted from her lips as she hacked up a splatter of blood onto the ground. As the coughing began to cease, she groaned loudly from the pain. She could feel a high temperature presence looming over her.

"He's mine," Valara seethed, "How dare you even think you can lay a hand on him." Raven was struggling to get back onto her feet when a boot connected with her still tender side. She hissed as stars flashed in front of her. "You're just like everyone else. You're trying to take something away from me, just like how Azarath took away my dignity and my father took away my life." Valara boot was sent flying once again, launching Raven a few feet away. Somewhere in between the pulsing in her ears and the white hot pain, Raven could have almost sworn she heard something snap. The stabbing feeling confirmed that it was probably a rib, which was probably now impaling one or more of her organs. The world swam around her in a confusing mix of shadows and bright spots. It hurt to move, it hurt even more to breathe. She yearned for the relief of unconsciousness, but the pain kept her in the world of the living.

"He's the only thing that I have left; but you and every living thing on that pitiful little realm of yours are trying to keep him away from me!" Valara was raving now, he temper getting the better of her. Her hair reacted to her anger, burning wildly. She was about to kick her adversary again when common sense (or whatever passed as common sense in her mind) overtook her. She calmed herself down, staring at the almost still form of Raven. "Did that hurt? I'm sorry; my temper does get the better of me sometimes. Must be something I inherited from Daddy. Now where was I? Oh, yes…" Bending over, she grabbed Raven by her neck and effortlessly lifted the sorceress until she was dangling. Raven gripped Valara's arm, though the throbbing coursing through her body made her as weak as a kitten.

"There is one thing I can thank you for. Without you, I would have never met Danny. So, to thank you, I'll give you the honor of helping me right before you die." Valara noticed Raven's eyes slowly closing shut. She promptly added a little heat to her grip, causing Raven to gasp, "Now, now, you can't die yet. You still have to know your part. You see, I'm having a little dilemma. In order to get Danny to forego his foolish ideals, I'll have to get rid of the source of his obsessive need to protect; mainly the living. Sure, I could just go down to Earth and start torching everything; it would probably be fun for a while, but that takes too much time. It'll get tedious, boring, etcetera. So I began to think of how I could do it all in one fell swoop." She was grinning as she monologued, a somewhat wild glint in her eye,

"Then it came to me: Daddy's domain. Or should I say my domain. This is a part of me now. This island is sufficiently large enough to make an… impact, don't you agree?" She chuckled at her own joke, "I do crack myself up sometimes. It's brilliant, really. The collision would be more than enough to wipe out all life. And anyone who did survive would die from the fire that would consume the planet. It would actually make it quite a lovely place for Danny and I to settle down, just the two of us. There is a slight problem. I, unfortunately, despite all my father's immense power, wouldn't be able to create a portal big enough to cross over to the living world. That's where you come in."

"You are, after all, are the portal; the Gem of Skath. You're the one who brought Trigon himself across dimensions. Transporting this would be child's play with your powers."

"If you think I'll help you…" Raven was able to manage hoarsely. It hurt to speak but she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"But you will help me, whether you want to or not," Valara declared gleefully, "You see, just because my father's jewel is in me, doesn't mean it doesn't still work." She watched as understanding washed over Raven's face, "I'm going to suck you dry, though not too much. I'll leave just enough so that you can watch me destroy the world you and Danny were so eager to protect, with your own powers. After that, then you will die, in the most vulgar, excruciating way I can imagine. And I have a rather active imagination."

"So, you're going to do to Danny what you claim everyone did to you?" Raven queried, "You going to steal everything he loves, everyone he cares about? Just so he'll notice you? Do you think he'll forgive you for that?"

"He'll get over it," Valara answered, "Just like I got over it. I would be doing him a favor. They would never have accepted him, just like no one ever accepted me. When everything is all said and done, I'll be there to comfort him, to hold him, to caress him. He'll forget all about it after our first night of bliss… and all the ones afterword." She smirked as obviously lewd thoughts played out in her mind, "But I'm getting ahead of myself. First things first. I could say that this won't hurt, but I would just be lying." Valara's smirk grew wider as her eyes changed color from yellow to black. Raven could feel the effects of the spell immediately; her power was being ripped from her, first in a trickle that soon grew. Raven gritted her teeth from the pain as more and more of her essence was sucked away from her. Soon the pain was too great and for the first time since the fight began, Raven began to scream…

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

"This is taking too long," Robin stated as he fended off another attack from one of the firebeasts. He kicked up into a back flip, throwing a barrage of exploding disks while doing so. The flying incendiaries did their job, as they stopped the creature in its tracks and provided Robin with some precious time needed to devise a strategy. The other Titans were locked in similar combat: Beast Boy, as a cheetah, was currently out running two of the fiery creations, while Cyborg was fending off a few with his brute strength alone. The mechanized Titan was being careful not to run down his batteries too quickly, with hopes of helping Raven and Danny later on.

"Excuse me!" Robin heard coming from above, "I am in need of doing the 'coming in'." Robin knew immediately that it was Starfire, who was still trying to shake two more of the beasts that were on her tail. She leveled off until she was parallel to the ground and then faced upwards, releasing a barrage of her starbolts, finishing off with a blast from her eyes. The attacks all hit their targets, but they did little to slow them down, as their wounds healed in an instant. Robin then noticed something that had been nagging him for a while; one of Starfire's starbolts had hit one of the creatures in the head. The healing in that spot wasn't as fast as the rest, so that meant… He put his theory to the test as he took one of his cryo-discs and aimed straight for his adversary's maw. The beast caught it as if a dog catching a Frisbee. The weapon detonated, encasing the head in ice. Before it could break free from the temporary permafrost, Robin swiftly went into action, swinging his sword and severing the head. Stabbing it for good measure, he watched as the head, as well as the body lost their luminosity and crumbled into volcanic dust.

"Aim for the head!" Robin called out to his team, giving them some ray of hope. They heeded their leader's advice, changing their attacks to aim for the enemy's weak point. Robin went off to help his second in command, his sword slashing away.

"I wish I knew what was going on over there," Cyborg wondered as he stood back to back with the boy wonder, "That ghost looked pretty tough. And Raven didn't look like she was in the best shape."

"That's why we need to fish with this, so we can help them," Robin said, agreeing with the larger Titan. Their conversation, as well as their fight was interrupted as what seemed to be a large fireball headed straight for them. What was weird about it was that it seemed like it was screaming. Cyborg and Robin tumbled out of the way as the object made landfall, creating a crater. They eyed it suspiciously, suspecting it was another hoard of creatures to slow them down. What they didn't expect was the sudden blast of cold air that expanded from the crash site, freezing most of the immediate area. All of the creatures on the battlefield were effected; those closest were frozen solid, while the rest put as much distance from the crater as they could. The Titans watched as Danny crawled out of the hole in the ground, blood trickling down his face and body. He held onto his shoulder, which was obviously wounded, his other hand hanging limp on his side.

"Dude, you look like crap," Beast Boy commented. Danny gave him an annoyed look, shutting up the changeling.

"What happened to you?" Cyborg asked, curious about the current situation.

"Doesn't matter," Danny replied, "We have to get back. Raven…" He couldn't continue, as he was interrupted by a blood curdling scream. All of the Titans, as well as Phantom, froze; the owner of the shriek was unmistakable. All of their faces seemed to be drained of all color, "RAVEN!" Danny cried, as he kicked off in the direction he had been thrown from. He ignored all the pain, all of the damage he had sustained, as if they never had happened. All that mattered was Raven and her safety. Was he too late? Behind him, he could hear the other Titans following; Starfire was keeping pace with Robin in tow, while Beast Boy galloped along as a horse, with Cyborg riding bareback. They all feared the worse.

They all gasped as they neared the scene: Valara held onto Raven by the neck, cackling wildly as their comrade continued to scream. They watched as black bolts of energy snaked their way from Raven into Valara's arm. Seeing her in danger, Danny picked up speed, his fist glowing white. The halfa slammed into the fire ghost, causing her to lose her grip and sent the ghost soaring. Starfire, who had dropped Robin off before hand, swooped in, grabbing Raven's limp form before it fell onto the ground. The others surrounded their fallen friend solemnly.

"Raven?" Starfire pleaded, "Friend Raven, please, are you alright?" The Titans all held their breath as Raven just lay there almost peacefully. All of them were terrified that they had been too late in reaching their friend. Suddenly, Raven's frail body shuddered as a fit of coughing overtook her. Though they all noted that she sounded bad, they were relieved to see some sign of life. Her eyes fluttered open as the coughing passed, a moan emitting from her lips. As the conscious world came back to her, Raven was greeted by the sight of her friends, their faces full of concern. She couldn't help but smile. Her face grew a bit sterner as she furrowed her brow.

"We don't have much time," she said hoarsely, "Where is Danny?" The others had quizzical looks, but they complied as they made space for the halfa to enter the circle.

"I'm here," Danny replied. Raven could see the guilt plastered all over the halfa's face.

"It's not your fault," Raven stated, addressing his unspoken remorse. Danny was about to retort, but Raven's hand stopped him from doing so, "It isn't the time. We have to stop Valara before it's too late…" she was interrupted by more coughing. Starfire stroked her back comfortingly until it subsided, "She's going to smash the island into Earth. That's why she stole my powers. If you hadn't stopped her, I don't think I would have made it."

"She has those crazy fire powers and yours? How the heck are we going to beat her now?" Cyborg's question was one they all had on their minds. The situation seemed to go from bad to worse. They wondered how they were going to do to end this.

"She didn't take all of my powers," Raven assured, "though it's not going to do me much good in my condition. I only have enough to do one last thing." She motioned for Danny to come closer, which he obeyed. Raven laid a hand on his chest and closed her eyes, her signature chant playing across her lips silently. Danny suddenly felt a surge of … something coursing through him like a jolt. It felt as if he was lighter and that his wounds had all but disappeared. He looked questioningly at the sorceress, who looked even more tired now than before. "I gave you almost all that I had left," she said, eliciting a protest from Danny. She silenced him again, "You need it more than I do right know. It should give you enough energy to stop her. I also gave you a retrieval spell of sorts." She closed her eyes, unable to keep them open any longer, "If she tries to use my magic on you, the spell should kick in and absorb it into you. It won't be enough to defeat her, but it'll help. The only way to return my powers is the jewel…it's embedded in her chest. If your able to destroy it…" she coughed violently again.

"I understand," Danny replied. It was up to him now. Everything now was riding on him. He couldn't afford to feel guilty. He began to stand up, but Raven's hand grabbed hold of his tightly, despite her weakened state. She managed to find the strength to open her eyes.

"I know you can do it," she said with a smile that defied the situation. With that said, her hand lost its grip and she once again fell into unconsciousness. Danny's mind was finally clear of all doubt. He had to do this. She trusted him enough to lend him all that she had left. He couldn't fail.

"Someone needs to get her to safety," he said as he finally stood upright.

"I'll do it," Beast Boy volunteered, transforming into an emerald gorilla. Starfire gingerly transferred her best friend into the primate's arms. Beast Boy, despite the large, primal form he was now taking, cradled Raven's form gently, as if she were a baby. Nodding and giving a grunt, the green beast used his remaining three limbs to hightail it out of there.

The remaining Titans were all interrupted by a wild cackle, which coincided with the ground trembling underneath them. Valara, who had been silent and unmoving before, rose up into the air. He head was tilted back as she continued to laugh, whatever form of sanity she had left seemingly gone. Her hair, which was now shooting high into the air, suddenly changed color from its usual bright red flames to something darker, till it was almost black. The tattoos on the exposed parts of her body did the same, as well as the designs on her red dress. Dark flames danced across her fingers as she relished in this new power.

"Incredible!" she screamed with twisted delight, "And this wasn't even all of it. It should be more than enough, though, wouldn't you agree?" She held up a hand just as the Titans were about to strike. They found that their bodies suddenly froze in place, no longer to take orders from their minds. Each one of them was then encased in Valara's newly acquired dark flames, causing them to cry out in pain. The mystical fire seemed to burn down to their very cores, causing every pain receptor in their bodies into to fire all at once. "Can't have you interrupting, now can I?" Valara stated with a grin, "Now, as they say, on with the show." The ghost raised her hand, sending a bolt of energy into the sky above. The bolt stopped as if it had hit something, which resulted into a swirling black vortex that seemed to grow with every waking moment. "They won't know what hit them…"

JCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJC

Detective Dick Wolf was having a long night… or rather a long morning now, as the first rays of daylight were beginning to shine through the city. He sipped his cup of coffee in a desperate attempt at a few more hours of consciousness. The officer's night had started out quiet enough; there had been no activity from the ghosts that had attacked downtown days before. The Titans were quiet as well, which was normally a good thing. His silent night was interrupted, however, by the reports that the Titans were locked in battle once again with some spectral assailants. By the time his men had arrived, however, there were no signs of the teen heroes whatsoever. There were signs of combat, as well as … Wolf didn't know what it was. Some sort of swirling vortex in the middle of the street. Officers currently had the area corded off, preventing any civilians from getting to close.

He sighed again as he finished another cup of Joe. The Titans were nowhere to be found. All attempts of contacting the Tower had failed, which only meant that they were probably at the other end of the weird swirling thing that his men were currently guarding. He sure hoped that they would be the ones who would be coming out of the vortex, because he didn't think his men where equipped enough to handle otherworldly creatures. That type of job he normally left for the Titans to deal with.

"Uhh, sir?" an officer asked, interrupting Wolf's train of thought.

"What is it, Jenkins?" he replied as he focused his attention to his subordinate. He noticed that the young officer was slightly perturbed about something and had his gaze currently pointing upwards, "Well, spit it out already." Jenkins complied by simply pointing up. Wolf followed in the direction the finger was pointed and then froze, as his jaw hung slack. His favorite mug slipped from his fingers and shattered into a million pieces upon the sidewalk, though he didn't notice.

In the sky above then was a noticeably black swirling cloud. Onyx lightning cackled around the unusual metrological anomaly as it began to grow larger and larger. Soon the rest of the squad took notice and became noticeably agitated. "What the f--- is that?!" one of the junior policemen asked, unsure of what he was seeing. They got their answer as the center of the swirling mass contorted and then cleared. What they got was a view of a very large rock (or at least a section of rock), covered in tracks of lava. The portal grew with each passing minute, until it seemed to be as wide as the city, the landscape of that other world becoming the sky of theirs.

Where the hell are those kids?" Wolf cursed under his breath as he wondered what he was going to do.

DPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDP

Valara snicker again as her newly formed portal grew in size, accommodating itself to her domain's size. Her plan was working flawlessly. It would only be a matter of time until it was big enough to fit it through. She watched the city above her and pondered how the people were reacting. They were probably running and screaming, begging to whatever deities they believed in (or not) for salvation. She went over what would probably happen in her mind: the impact from the island was only part of the equation, though that would cause a lot of damage in and of itself. She would set the island's core to detonate, causing a massive explosion upon impact, spreading carnage even further. Her fire would spread and grow, killing off all life on the planet until there was nothing but death, fire and brimstone; in other words, a paradise. Once it all settled down, she and Danny could exist happily ever after. Free of the annoying distractions like duty and friends and family. She would finally have someone who understood how she felt, someone to love her.

"Stop it," a voice called, distracting her from her planning. The ghost girl found that it came from none other than Danny himself. Unlike the others, he had stopped screaming and seemed to be actually resisting. To her utter dismay, the flames around him and the Titans began to diminish, loosing their darkness as they did so. "Stop it now!" he screamed loudly as a gust of cold air flew out in all directions, finally extinguishing the flames. Robin, Starfire and Cyborg, no longer held up by Valara's magic, all fell to the ground, gasping for air and thankful for the relief.

"How did you…" Valara wondered in disbelief, "You shouldn't be able to, even with your powers. How could you… It was her wasn't it?" She growled in annoyance, "Once again, I make the mistake of not killing her when I had the chance. No matter."

"I'm not going to let you win," Danny stated, his face full of determination, "I'm not going to let you kill all those innocent people on Earth."

"And that is the reason why I'm doing this!" Valara cried, clearly frustrated, "You are so obsessed with…them that you can't even see US. When this is over you'll thank me."

"I doubt that," Danny retorted, "I'm not going to ask again."

"Neither am I," Valara returned, her body crackling with energy.

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**AN: I hope you enjoy reading this, because I sure enjoyed writing it, especially the look into Valara's twisted head. Next chapter is the last of the fight (hopefully) and followed by the epilogue, so two more to go. Stay tuned!**


	37. Chapter 36: Love Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me

**Author's notes: I am terribly sorry this came out later than it should. A little something called finals, followed by a little something called the Christmas rush (I work in retail) came along and put me off course. That being said, I give you this. This chapter is an ubre mega chapter. It's the longest I've ever written so far. I originally wanted to split this in two once I finished it but decided not to. You guys deserve this. Think of it as a late Christmas/ New Years present to all of you.**

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Haunted Destiny Chapter 36: Love Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me 

"It's just the two of us now," Valara commented longingly, "Just as it was meant to be; just you and me. We don't need anyone else, Danny." She said this as she pointed at the swirling black portal that grew above. Jump City could be seen from the vortex that was slowly becoming the skyline for the island, "We don't need them. Why can't you see that? Why can't you understand that this is the way it has to be?"

Danny didn't answer her; he didn't know how to respond. All he could do was stare back at the source of his current troubles. His body was as taut as a pulled bowstring, his muscles tense and his senses unusually sharp. All he could think about now was the fact that he was it; the last thing that stood in her way. If it wasn't for the fact that a lot of lives were hanging in the balance, he would have laughed at his ironic position. He had spent the better part of last year fighting alone; deluding himself into thinking he could handle things on his own. Danny had only recently realized how wrong he was and had even gained some new allies in the Titans. And yet now here was, alone on the battlefield. The halfa let his gaze wander towards the fallen Titans, still recovering from Valara's last attack. Danny was relieved that he could still see signs of life, noticing the rhythmic, yet ragged movement of their chests. He, too, had felt the brunt of the attack and knew that if it had lasted a moment longer, they probably would not have survived. If it wasn't for Raven's spell…

Raven; just thinking the name seemed to ease his mind, silencing all of his conflicting thoughts and emotions. She did so much for him in this past week. She saved his life, both physically and mentally. She was the one who was able to break through the thick wall he trapped himself in. After everything he had put her through, she trusted in him; believed in him so much that she lent him the last bit of power she had left. Even if it was only him standing in Valara's way, he wasn't fighting alone. Her strength, her essence was right behind him, filling in the gaps of strength where he lacked. Not only her, but his family, his friends; they all were counting on him. He couldn't just back down; not that he had any thoughts of doing so. With resolve now in place, Danny once again glared at his adversary, his eyes furrowed with determination.

He decided to give an answer to Valara's queries, though it wasn't a verbal one. Like a bolt of lightning, he shot towards the fiery girl, with speed that took both him and Valara by surprise. The ghost girl's face flashed a look of shock, though it only lasted for a moment. His fist, glowing with his icy resolve, flew at her at full velocity. She barely had time to dodge as the punch sailed past her face, sending chills down her spine as it grazed her. Valara, despite her previous wishes, concluded that she was too close for comfort, opting to make some space to breathe as she jumped back. Unfortunately for her, Danny had other plans, as he was hot on her heels. The halfa continued his assault with a left hook, which Valara also dodged by spinning to the side, causing Danny to overshoot. She smiled mischievously as he rushed past her. Making an abrupt stop, Danny turned and gave chase.

Danny never relented, never backed down as he sent a flurry of punches and kicks towards the temptress. He succeeded in driving her back and his constant barrage kept her on the defense, preventing her from retaliating. Unfortunately, though he was fast, she was equally as quick. He was unable to land even one hit on the girl, who evaded each and every one of his blows and doing so in an almost graceful fashion. She sidestepped, spun and parried in what could almost be described as ballet of sorts. She showed no signs of tiring or fear; in fact, she seemed to be almost enjoying the dance she shared with Phantom, if the smile that never left her face was any indication.

What was going inside her mind was a different story, however. Though she took pleasure in playing with her Phantom, she knew she was in trouble. Every time he got near her, she could feel the tug; something was causing her newly acquired powers to slowly trickle out. If what happened when she attacked the Titans was any indication, that bitch Raven was being a thorn in her side again, even after having her powers drained. She surmised that her meddling was also the reason for Danny's inexplicable burst in speed. Not that she was necessarily complaining; fighting him like this was exhilarating and it aroused her more than anything else. Ultimately, however, it merely served to distract her from her final goal: to make him wholly and utterly hers. And she couldn't do that without getting rid of his distractions.

Danny lunged again, slamming his fist into the ground where Valara had stood just moments before. Permafrost spread from the impact, forming stalagmites of ice to form. Danny stopped his assault to finally catch his breath, his eyes never leaving Valara. Her smile grew even wider, "Is that all you have, Danny?" she toyed, "I know you can do better than that. Show me that fire, that spirit that made me fall for you." Flames sprung out from her outstretched hands, solidifying to form two swords, one in each hand. Her grin was malicious and seductive all at the same time.

Danny answered her call, renewing his attack with everything he had. This time, however, she was ready for him and responded with blows of her own. Not only did she dodge and parry his moves, Valara countered, swinging her blades in an elegant dance of fire and danger. Danny, to his credit, managed to elude her swings, though they caused him to keep his distance. Jumping back, he held out his hand and fired a set of icicles as long as his arm. The fire ghost simply smiled, shattering the projectiles with a sword in one swing. She continued to spin, causing her other sword to create numerous arcs of fire in its wake. Danny's agility was put to the test as he dodged as many as he could, many of which detonated on the ground, obscuring him in a cloud of ash. Valara floated there, waiting patiently for him to come to her.

A shot of blue ectoplasm shot out of the cloud a moment later, slamming into the swords Valara had managed to cross in front of her in time. The attack froze the swords instantly, as well as both Valara's hands. Valara hissed painfully as the cold burned into her flesh. She forced her flames through her arms, melting the ice till she could wiggle her fingers again. She looked up to find Danny rocketing towards her, two fists outstretched and glowing. Reacting on pure instinct, the ghost shot straight into the air to avoid him. Like a guided missile locked on target, Danny veered to pursue. She hastily fired a few balls of flame, but Danny merely dodged them, quickly gaining air. They soon collided, sending the two spinning even higher.

There was a jumble of movement as the two scuffled. Danny's left hand found purchase onto Valara's right, as he had a solid, icy grip. Realizing how close he actually was and knowing he probably wouldn't have another chance, Danny reached forward with his free hand, turning it intangible as he tried to dive it into Valara's chest. Unfortunately, Valara instinctively grabbed his arm by the wrist, stopping his fingers only a few inches away from her chest.

"Aren't you feisty," she quipped playfully, masking her slight distress. As Danny's grip tightened around her right arm, she could feel more of Raven's stolen powers being leeched away from her. Not only that, but Danny's grip was like a cold vice. She increased her body temperature in response, hoping to shake him off. Her left hand struggled to keep his right in check as he slowly inched it closer.

Danny gritted his teeth, pushing forward, even while Valara's flaming grip dug into his arm. Even with his ice powers, he could feel the searing pain shoot up his limb and could detect the burning scent of spandex. He tried to ignore the pain, focus solely on his task. He was so close; the jewel was only centimeters away. He was so concentrated on fulfilling his promise to Raven he didn't notice the sudden shift in gravity, or the fact that their ascent suddenly turned into a freefall, as they crossed the event horizon of the portal separating Earth and the Ghost Zone.

Danny's body suddenly went limp, though he never lost his grip of Valara's arm. His eyes shut, as if he was contemplating something. His sudden impassiveness confused Valara; was he just giving up?. Moments later, his eyes snapped open, though instead it's normal green hue, she was staring back at two glowing blue orbs of power. She screamed as a blue flash engulfed her face, ambushing her. Feeling her grip loosen, Danny took his chance and dove his intangible fist into her torso, which elicited a gasp from her.

He quickly regretted doing so; every painful experience he had experienced the past week, even his impaling at the hands of Xanthus Pyre, was nothing compared to what he was experiencing right then. It felt as if he had dipped his hand into the molten lava of an active volcano; if his brain wasn't being flooded with such agonizing throbbing, he would have quipped that he probably wasn't that far off from the truth. He shrieked as almost all sense of sanity leaving him; the only thing that managed to break through the searing was...

As the populous of Jump City stared wide eyed at the bizarre sight of another world above them, many noticed a comet-like object streaking towards the ground, but not before it seemed to split in two. A pair of impacts could be heard as both slammed into the streets below.

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"Ugh…" was all the boy wonder could muster as consciousness returned to him. His body ached all over, though it was nothing compared to the fire that still seemed to burn inside his head, giving him a massive, skull shattering headache. He moaned again, being no more coherent than the last time. His senses slowly became active again, beginning with his hearing, which was slowly being filled by a very familiar sound.

"Robin?" he recognized, though it was muffled at first, "Robin? Oh, by X'Hal, please be alright!" he painfully opened his eyes and his vision cleared, to the sight of Starfire, her eyes wide and filled with tears, "Robin!" she cried as she gave him a hug, which was surprisingly tender.

"Star," he slurred, his faculties returning at a faster rate. He somehow managed to snake his arms up and around her back. Their lips soon found each other, pressing together madly, despite their bodies being sore to the touch. It hurt, but it sure felt good. The embrace did its job, making Robin fully awake. The moment they disentangled themselves from each other, Robin began to sit upright, "What happened?" he asked as he turned to survey the area.

"I am… uncertain," she replied hesitantly, "Friend Phantom and the evil ghost female are nowhere to be found, though there are signs of a fierce battle."

"What about Cyborg?"Robin inquired as he assessed the situation. Starfire warily pointed at her teammate's still form. The parts of his armor that were normally blue were now and eerie grey.

"I fear friend Cyborg may be…"

"…Not down yet," Cyborg completed. A hum and various whirs could be heard as his metallic body came back to life, "Just give a moment for my systems to reset. Man, what the heck hit us?"

"It is not something I wish to experience again," Starfire answered, "That was most… unpleasant."

"That's putting it mildly," Cyborg replied as he sat up on his own with a squeak, "Well, good news is, I'll live. Bad news is that I'll need a complete overhaul. Half my systems are running on minimum and the other half is shot."

"At least we're alive," Robin stated, looking at the upside-down Jump City hanging from above "Though that might not do us any good in the long run." He was frustrated at not knowing what the full situation was. They had no clue where Phantom was or even if he was winning. His contemplation was cut short as a familiar whining sound slowly made itself known. The Titans turned to find the Fenton's Specter Speeder closing in on their position. The vehicle slowed to a stop and then landed next to them. The side hatch opened and a very worried Jazz popped out, heading straight for a particular metallic Titan.

"Cyborg!" she cried as she inspected him, "Are you alright? Where is my brother? What's going on?"

"In order: I'm ok, not sure where Danny is, and your guess is as good as mine," he replied, "We sort of just woke up now; that ghost knocked the crud out of us." Before should say anything more, a familiar face popped his head out of the Speeder.

"You guys so totally missed me, didn't you," Beast Boy said with one of his winning smiles, "Man, you guys look like…"

"Complete that sentence and I'll kick your little green behind, Grass stain!" Cyborg threatened, "And if you're here, where is Raven?"

"Don't worry; she's here," Beast Boy reassured, all jesting leaving his face, "The Fentons spotted us and picked us up." He pointed towards the vehicle's entrance. The other Titans made it on their feet and peered inside, spotting Raven, who rested peacefully on one of the chairs.

"After we dropped off Sam, Valerie, and Tucker, we decided to come back and see what we could do," Jazz explained. "Mom thinks she has the ice gun fixed up again.

"I've got a lock, Mads!" a boisterous Jack Fenton called out from the front of the Speeder, "I've got a fix on both Danny and that other ghost!" He pointed a finger upwards, "It's coming from up there, in the Real World!"

"We better get moving then, dear," Maddie declared, pumping the recently fixed ice bazooka with emphasis, "We have to go help our Danny!"

"Man, that's hot!" Jack responded at his wife's determination, "Hop on, kids!" The Titans heeded their warning, jumping in before the Speeder made a sharp turn in the direction of the swirling vortex in the sky leading back to the real world.

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"Ow," muttered a discombobulated Danny Phantom as he came to. The halfa shook his head of imaginary cobwebs, his eyes fluttering open… only to be greeted by darkness. He blinked rapidly, confused to what he was seeing. Where was he? Was he dead? Was this where failures went after they died? It took him a few hysteric moments to realize that beyond the darkness were outlines of white, of a scene that was somewhat familiar. It reminded him of something he'd seen recently, "Wait a sec, isn't this…"

As if on cue, the black shield that obscured his view disappeared revealing his surroundings. He found himself in a perfectly concave crater, the shape matching perfectly with something spherical smashing into the ground. He looked up to see the portal, except he was viewing it from the other side; instead of ghostly green peaking from beyond the clouds that surrounded the vortex, a more earthly blue greeted him. His head and eyes traced the path he must have taken to fall; he calculated it was a very steep drop. Raven's powers seemed to react and protect him at the last moment; he didn't want to think about what would have happened if it had not.

The teen slowly got up, ignoring the various cries of pain his body gave while doing so. He looked around, inspecting his destination and his jaw dropped at what he found: a recognizable ocean view as well as the city harbor. He turned around to confirm his suspicions, "Of all the places to crash land," he muttered as his eyes viewed the base of Titan's tower. He didn't know if this was also a result of Raven's magic or just his dumb luck but he was thankful all the same.

He looked down at his hands and cringed; it was not a pretty sight, to say the least. His left palm was burnt black from where he had held on to Valara. The spandex of the fingers had fused together, forming a sort of bizarrely burnt mitten. It was nothing, however, compared to his right hand. The area, from his fingers to half up his forearm was charred. The material of his gloves was completely burned off, showing his badly scorched skin underneath. He tried to move his finger and was met with a sharp stinging sensation. Using his better hand, he painfully managed to pry the other, revealing the gem.

Danny let the jewel drop to the ground with a clatter, a smile dancing upon his lips. Amongst all the failure that seemed to fall his way, he finally got something right. He only wished he wasn't too late. He weighed in his options; another look at his hands told him that he wasn't going to create an ecto-blast from them anytime soon. His guess was that he needed something powerful to destroy the jewel. Only one of his powers fit the bill. Backing up, the halfa took a deep breath. Opening his mouth, he let lose a powerful and focused ghostly wail. The jewel seemed to almost resist as it rattled amongst the rocks of the shore. It finally gave way, however, shattering into a million pieces…

…And creating a large explosion, sending Danny tumbling back. Danny shielded his eyes from the blinding light, which quickly dissipated. His vision cleared, just in time to see a whirlwind of energy, swirling around the point of detonation. He could make out two distinct colors: one was as black as night, the other an orange and crimson flame. As the halfa watched the light show, he immediately noticed that he was getting perceptibly weaker by the minute. Black energy leaked out of his body, only to join the blackness within the storm of magic.

The two then separated and headed off in different directions: Raven's magic heading straight up into the portal above, while the fire seemed to arc back into the city to parts unknown. Danny was about to wonder where exactly it was going when every injury he had received in the past day hit him with full force. His body became as heavy as a sack of potatoes, dragging him to the ground with a thud. He groaned as the sudden impact caused pain to shoot up and down his back. Old wounds began to bleed again and he lost the ability to even lift his hand. All he could do was stare into the sky and hope that he wasn't too late.

JCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJC

"What do you got, boys?" Detective Wolf asked after his car came to a stop a few feet from the crash site. After the initial shock of the situation in the sky wore off, he rallied his men to handle crowd control and called for backup: lots of backup. He knew there was going to be a lot of scared people in the city. Something like the sky disappearing tended to get a lot of attention, especially in a crazy city like Jump. As he instructed his policemen, one of them noticed something falling from the hole in the sky. The meteor halved and the two pieces fell into separate parts of the city. One of them headed in the direction of Titan's Tower while the other landed downtown, which led the detective here.

"I think you should see this for yourself, chief," Jenkins responded as he pointed at the crater. Wolf took his subordinate's suggestion peering over the edge and gasping; a girl, no older than sixteen and devoid of any clothing lay there in the center, seemingly unharmed by the landfall. Whether she was hit by the thing that fell or whether she _was_ the thing that fell was anyone's guess. She was in a fetal position and apparently unconscious, oblivious to the officers surrounding her.

"Quit staring, you perverts," Wolf barked, breaking his young officers' reverie, "Someone, get the girl a jacket. Jenkins, barricade this area, stat!"

"Sir!" Jenkins interrupted, "Uh, she's burning, sir…" His observation was correct as though her crimson hair looked normal; various parts of it were in flames.

"Incoming!" another officer hollered, pointing in a direction towards the harbor. Everyone turned and stiffened to find a large ball of fire heading their way.

"Shit! People, move it or lose it!" Wolf commanded, though most of his men didn't wait for an order. They all cleared the area, just as the fireball connected, directly into the sleeping girl lying in the crater…

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The ride in the speeder was solemn. Starfire took it upon herself to watch after her best friend; Raven's head rest on her lap while she slept across a number of chairs. Starfire slowly and lovingly stroked Raven's hair, as a mother would that of a sick child. The other Titans looked on, or at least tried to. They all felt the same feeling of helplessness as all they could do was wait. All of them wished there was something they could do to help their friend and teammate...

"Suffering spooks…what is that?" Jack suddenly exclaimed as flew the Specter Speeder on a descent towards Earth. His attention was fixed on a black… something that was heading straight for them.

"Can you lose it, honey?" Maddie asked worryingly.

"I've been trying, Mads!" he answered as he steered, "It just keeps following us. What is that thing?" Robin entered the cockpit area studied the unknown threat. His shoulder's relaxed and a smile beamed from his face.

"Stop," he stated, drawing out confused looks from the Fentons.

"Are you crazy?" Jack responded, "We don't know what it is!"

"If it's what I think it is, then things are going to get a lot better. Trust me." Jack looked back and forth between Robin and the whining proximity alarms on his console. He finally complied, stopping the Specter Speeder in mid-air. And then they waited, anxiously. The black mass increased its speed, on a direct collision course with the forward section of the craft. But instead of smashing into it, it simply phased through the glass. It ignored the pilots and made its way to the aft. Not hesitating for even a moment, it jumped straight into Raven, causing her body to tense. Her eyes opened suddenly, glowing a bright white as her body began to hover. Everyone covered their eyes as a bright light engulfed them all…

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The thing about Xanthus Pyre was, despite the fact he was foolish enough to get caught for his troubles, he was no idiot. His design for his power-leeching gem was quite ingenious and his attention to detail was flawless. For example, after the gem robbed the powers of a victim, it didn't just give said powers to the user, at least not all at once. Though he was power hungry, to his credit, Xanthus knew what too much power could do. Taking the life force of someone of Trigon's stature and giving it to a mere human, no matter how skilled he was, was recipe for disaster. So much power could easily burn someone out, both figuratively and literally.

Instead, the jewel used a trickle system. It worked as a buffer, feeding a slow but steady stream of power to its user, letting them master and work into the magic. Unfortunately for Valara, Xanthus's fire based powers was quite potent in any amount. Born both of the mystical fires of Acheron Prime, as well as her father's own vengeful nature, the power, even in a small dose would drive anyone insane. The sorceress was quite lucky in this regard; though the ordeal she went through while using the gem was immense, it was nothing compared to what she could have felt if she absorbed all of her father's powers all at once.

When the young hero known as Phantom, finally destroyed the gem, the powers that previously inhabited it went free. Natural powers had a penchant for returning back to their owners; in Raven's case, her powers reunited with the half-human sorceress. The case was different for the old powers of the now gone Xanthus Pyre. With its master destroyed, the power went to the next of kin, of sorts; the last person who wielded them. To everyone's misfortune, that meant Xanthus's daughter, Valara. If what fraction of power Valara received before was enough to make her as unstable as she was before, let's just say things have gone from bad to worse, especially for the halfa who dared to scorn her…

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Everything hurt.

It hurt to move, it hurt to breathe. Heck, it hurt even to blink. It felt as if a twenty-ton truck had decided to have a seat on Danny's chest, making it impossible to even draw breath. His arms lay there like dead weights, heavier than… something really heavy. Did he mention that his head hurt as well? Thoughts went through his brain like an Olympic swimmer through molasses; that is to say, not very fast. The throbbing that currently dominated him made it hard to think, but he did so anyway, in a last ditch effort to try and keep conscious, despite his body's plea to do otherwise.

He thought about his family and friends back in Amity Park. He was thankful that they were safe and sound back home. He promised himself that if he made it through this that he would make it up to them; every stupid thing he did to them in the past year. He knew it would be hard, but they were worth it. He also thought about his new allies and what he hoped to be new friends. He had to answer for to them as well. He wished he could be the one to rescue them, but at the moment, he couldn't save anyone.

His mind wandered to a particular new friend: Raven. He didn't know how or when but somehow she had made it at the top of his important persons list. Her fate or the lack information to the fact was what troubled him the most. Was he too late? Did his mission succeed in saving her? Was he even going to live long enough to see her face again; or touch her or kiss her…?

His thoughts were shattered as two things stole his attention; one of which was the intense scream that seemed to emanate from the center of the city. The second was his ghost sense acting up again, sending a steady stream of blue mist into the air. "Not now," he muttered as he tried to will his body to move for the thousandth time. Unfortunately, it still wasn't complying, opting to stay put.

"You bastard," he heard suddenly, catching him by surprise. Valara floated there in front of him; at least he thought it was her. Her flaming mane was now longer than her body, burning wildly in the wind. Her dress was now gone, her naked form completely visible, save for a few patches of fire that clung at strategic places, making her somewhat decent. The change that caught Danny's attention the most was her eyes; before they were full of lust and yearning; now they were full of fiery vengeance. Those eyes seemed to entrance Danny like a snake enticing its prey, so much so that he never noticed the blade of fire until it had embedded itself into his shoulder and into the ground beneath him.

He screamed as his body and mind were once again flooded with searing pain. "You...YOU! I thought you were different. I thought you'd be able to understand me. I thought you'd love me." She twisted the blade a little, which caused Danny to yelp, "But you're just like them, aren't you? You try and take everything that's mine!" Another blade appeared and she struck, this time pinning him down by his other shoulder. The halfa cried out once again, tears streaming down his face from the agony, "How dare you choose them over me!"

She floated down till her feet were on each side of Danny's body. She then dropped down to her knees, straddling him, her close proximity causing Danny even more pain. She made no effort to hold back her aura as she watched him squirm. She bent down till her face was only a few inches away from his, her fiery finger tips tracing his jaw line, causing his skin to sizzle and burn, "You are going to pay for what you've done. I'm going to make you suffer; make you writhe in agony till you beg for your life. Then I'll make you scream until you beg for death. I may even grant your wish, if you scream loud enough for me. Maybe then I'll let you love me. You'll be sorry for ever saying no to me." A sadistic smile sprang from her lips, "No one says no to a Pyre. No one." And with that she kissed him, burning his lips in the process. She ignored his muffles cries of torture. Danny tried desperately to retaliate, to do something but he was entirely exhausted. It took all of his current energy just to keep in ghost form; he knew that if he reverted back, he was as good as dead.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" a familiar voice shouted, catching both their attentions. Valara was suddenly thrown back a good ten feet, stopping just short of the shoreline. She watched as a large, white bird descended from the sky, landing in between her and her prey. The bird shrank until it revealed Raven, her cloak and uniform now a dazzling white. Behind Danny appeared the Specter Speeder, which was taken along for the ride. Raven's pupil-less eyes shone brightly with energy, glaring solely on Valara, who simply smiled at the interruption. With a flick of her hand, Raven's powers removed the blades that pinned Danny down. By this time the Speeder's hatch was already open and Jazz was once again the first one to exit. She made a beeline straight for her brother, gasping at his state.

"Danny!" she cried as she knelt down beside him, "Are you…" Tears began to flow from her eyes, "You're going to be ok, little brother. We're here now."

Raven turned back and gave Danny a smirk, "Thank you," she whispered faintly, "I'm sorry it took so long."

"No problem," Danny managed to croak, despite the fact his lips were cracked and burnt, "Glad to see you're alright."

"Thanks to you," she replied, "And no thanks to her." She turned her attention back to Valara, who continued to smirk darkly. "This ends now. I'm not going to let you hurt him anymore."

Valara responded with a throaty chuckle, "I'd love to see you try," she sneered. "I don't care how you've changed; you still have no chance at…" her gloating was interrupted by a blast of white energy slamming into her gut. Another bolt followed, hitting her square in the face, knocking her back into the bay. The ghost skimmed across the water, causing steam to bellow up until she skidded to a stop. Enraged, she fired back with blast of her own. Raven erected a shield, protecting her and those behind her from the attack.

"I'm not going to let you hurt those I care about," Raven said as she readied another attack, "Not that you would ever know what that means. With all that crying and whining over what your father did to you, you ended up being just like him."

"Shut up!"Valara screamed, a vortex of fire surrounding her, protecting her from Raven's attack, though barely, "I'm nothing like him!"

"You're exactly like him," Raven spat, "You're just as sadistic, just as depraved. You're doing to Danny exactly what he did to you…"

"He's mine!"Valara bellowed, the fire intensifying around her, "No one is ever taking him away from me!" She raised her hands high up into the air, a ball of fire the size of a small car appearing above her. Raven threw up a shield once again as Valara threw her attack. Raven found that this time she struggled against the onslaught, her feet digging into the ground for support. The fireball suddenly detonated, throwing the sorceress back from the blast. She slowed herself to a stop, her chest heaving from the effort and signs of her old injuries returning, including the one to her ribs. Raven's arm wrapped itself around her side, in hopes of relieving some pain.

"You see? You can't stand to defeat me. You're a mere mortal; you're limited by that physical body of yours. I, on the other hand, am beyond death. My fire is stronger than yours. I'm going to put you out of your misery, like I should have done so long ago." A large fire once again began to swirl around Valara, this one even larger than before. It quickly took shape and soon formed a fire dragon, like the ones she had formed before, though this one was different. Its head was the size of a Mac Truck, its length several train cars long. "I'll make you see that I'm nothing like my father. He was a fool, a failure. I'll succeed where he failed; at killing you once and for all. I am going to enjoy this immensely." The dragon took her cue, launching itself like a rocket, far faster than its size would suggest.

Danny didn't know how or where he gained enough energy to stand, let alone move, but frankly he didn't care, as he suddenly appeared in front of Raven, staring down the oncoming maw of the beast. He knew he was out of options; his hands were useless at this point. His eye blast wasn't going to cut it. There was only one thing he could try. The halfa closed his eyes and concentrated, looking deep down for anything. He quickly found a reserve and was thankful it was the kind he was looking for. His eyes opening again, the halfa took in the deepest breath he could muster and released a ghostly wail.

The attack was different from the one he was used to; the ecto-enhanced sonic waves were not green this time but blue, implying he was using his new cryo-kinetic powers. The wail hit the dragon head on, stopping it dead in its tracks, though not destroying it. The dragon struggled against the cold waves of sound, resisting the arctic blast. Danny too, was struggling, digging into every fiber of his being, trying to stop certain doom from coming to Raven and his new friends. Unfortunately, he could feel himself slipping more and more. He knew he had been fighting for much too long and what little he had left just wasn't good enough this time.

Just as felt the last of his strength leaving him, he felt two small hands rest upon his shoulders. The moment they made contact with him, it felt as if he was hit with a live wire from an electrical pole. Power seemed to surge into him, similar to what Raven lent him before, but different, somehow. This energy was full of hope and compassion and felt so bright, so loving. He knew instantly that it was Raven, lending her strength to him once again. "You don't have to do this alone," he heard being said at the back of his mind, "I'm here. We're all here for you." Taking advantage, he focused on it, using it as power for his attack.

The ice wail seemed to intensify tenfold, its power not only stopping the dragon, but pushing it back from whence it came. The waves of sound worked as an oncoming cycle: one would come and freeze, leaving a layer of ice on the fire beast, while the next would smash into ice, breaking it apart. The dragon tried to resist like a salmon fish swimming upstream a strong river, but it was no use. It shrank as layer after layer of fire was frozen and destroyed until nothing was left.

The wail didn't end there, however. With no dragon to impede its path, the attack headed straight for Valara, who floated there, wide-eyed and dumbfounded at the failure. Her eyes flickered at the recognition of her fate but by then it was too late; the wave hit her hard and fast, nearly extinguishing the flames that surrounded her. Like her dragon, she tried to resist, pushing forward against the stream of ectoplasm. Like her dragon, however, she failed as she quickly was frozen and then disintegrated repeatedly. With a final scream, the fiery temptress was consumed by cold and disappeared into a cold mist.

"It's over now," he heard her whisper, "We won." With that said, the attack ceased. His throat felt raw; he had never used it to that extent before. He had never fought this long and hard before. All he wanted to do now is sleep. He felt his body crumple as it finally gave in to the abuse he had received and dealt to it. He felt backwards, not caring where he landed. He never hit the ground, however. Two small arms caught him, wrapping themselves around his chest, "I've got you," was the last thing he heard before slumber overtook him.

Raven smiled as Danny collapsed in a heap into her arms. They did it. She was more than relieved that the fight was finally over, they had finally won. She was so elated that she failed to notice that her own knees failed and gave way from exhaustion. Her eyelids were next, drooping and then fluttering as she tried to keep them open. Every muscle began to loosen as she, too, succumb to her own exhaustion.

* * *

**AN: Heyo! Hope you like this one. Lots of meaty goodness. Next chapter is the epilogue i.e. the last one. Rest assured, I have at least the first part of the sequel story rolling around in my head. My new year's resolution is actually to get the new story done by the maximum the end of the year. Will I make it? We'll see…we'll see.**


	38. Epilogue

**Author's Notes: Here it is, folks! Enjoy and read my notes on the bottom for other news!**

Haunted Destiny Epilogue

Waiting was always the hard part.

Some of them, like Jazz and the other Titans, already knew this first hand. For others, like Jack and Maddie, who never truly been in a situation like this, the wait was unbearable. The impatience, the helplessness. The fact that they were willing to do something, anything, but in the end unable to do anything. They were suddenly very aware of what their children had gone through the past year.

The moment Danny collapsed, and then Raven a moment after, all of their hearts stopped. They all rushed to the scene, calling out their names, worry creeping into their voices. Their emotions overruled their common sense, their courage dissolving as bundles of nerves took their place. Rabin was the first to clear his head, as it should be; he was their leader. He took charge of the situation, breaking them out of their collective reverie. He ordered Starfire and Beast Boy to take their injured comrades to the medical bay, with Cyborg in tow for preparation. He assured the Fentons they would do anything and everything in their power to heal their son the best they could. He tried his very best not to let any emotion show. They didn't need an emotional mess; they needed coherent guidance, something he had learned back in Gotham. He had plenty of time to fall apart later.

Once the patients were in the infirmary, they went to work. Robin relied on his first aid training taught to him by the Dark Knight, while Cyborg relied on his experience with the team. Being a Titan and a superhero in general, they had to know the basics: how to treat wounds and burns, how to bandage, how to stitch. Cyborg kept an eye on the various meters and readings, making sure their heartbeats and breathing were stable. Jazz fought the urge to help; she was studying in medicine herself but all the knowledge she had was in theory; she had no practical experience whatsoever. She was not going to be of any use, no matter how much she wanted to help, so she held back, along with her parents.

Hours later, they were finished. It was the best they could do under the circumstances. Field training could only do so much compared to years of education and experience a real doctor would have. Danny looked the worse of the two; bandages covered up most of the teen's body, making him look like a mummy. Danny's body was covered in burns, from first degree burns that made his skin red and tender to the more serious third degree burns on his hands and the stab wounds in his shoulder. They actually were pretty lucky; the intense heat seemed to cauterize the cuts, lessening the bleeding. They knew that a myriad of surgeries and skin grafts were probably in Danny's future.

Raven faired a bit better, but only slightly. She had burns as well, though not as severe and Danny's. The worst of it was the second degree burns around her neck, their shape looking almost like fingers. They re-bandaged her ribs to help them to heal and to alleviate her pain as she slept (Cyborg was quite impressed with the patchwork that was done to Raven beforehand). Once they were done with their first-aid, the two patients were placed in beds next to each other, screens monitoring their status on the walls behind them. Cyborg had the medical computer wirelessly linked directly to his own systems so that any change, whether good or bad, would be sent to him ASAP.

The Titans knew their options were limited. Both Danny and Raven had the means to come out of this more quickly than an average person. Their first fight with the Pyres showed just how quickly Danny's ghost powers mended his wounds. The Titans were also well versed in Raven's own healing powers, which she used on occasion for both herself and the other Titans. The main cause for concern was exhaustion. The recent battle left both the heroes tired and drained. There was a very serious risk that they were just too worn-out to heal themselves. Danny's parents, fearing this, repeated what they did when their son was first wounded from the fire ghosts: supplementing his IV with a bag of purified ectoplasm, hoping his body would be able to process it fast enough to heal. Unfortunately, there wasn't much they could do for Raven except to keep her on an IV and hope she recovered. Robin and Cyborg did decide, however, if they got any worse, or they didn't get any better, that night that they would take them to the local ER.

Exhaustion was something they all had in common. All of them wanted to stay and watch over their fallen comrades and family, but the effects of the battle were taking their toll. Robin, exerting his executive power once again, declared that all the Titans needed rest and ordered them out of the medical bay, despite protests. Maddie tried to do the same, ordering that Jack and Jazz should get some sleep as well and that she would look after Danny. She was met, however, with defiance, but not from Jack but from her daughter. Jazz stared down her mother with a look that screamed that she wasn't backing down anytime soon. She calmly lay out a seemingly airproof case: that Maddie was just as tired as everyone else and needed rest herself; that Jazz hadn't done as much as the rest of them and could do without a little sleep. She even added that they could come back later and relieve her in a few hours. Maddie could see her eyes pleading and finally relented. She smiled and ushered her husband out the door, leaving Jazz alone with the two patients.

She sat down in her usual spot; besides her brother's bed, worrying her heart out. She felt her anxiety weighing down on her shoulders as tried desperately not to cry. She gazed at his still form, so covered in dressing that hardly any skin was showing; the only sign that he was even underneath the bandages was parts of his face and a tuft of raven-colored hair. His eyes were furrowed as he slept, a sign that he was probably in pain. She wondered if he would ever get better, let alone ever wake up from his injuries. All she could do was sit by idly, helplessly, watching over him …

Except maybe there was something else she could do. She thought about something she read in some of her psychology books about patients in comas; that sometimes the subconscious could pick up stimulus from the outside world. Maybe she could talk to him, keep him company. She cleared her throat, "Danny?" she said meekly. "Danny, it's me, Jazz. How are you doing?" She stopped herself and then gave her forehead a good smack. "Argh… stupid question, I'm sorry. As you can see, we've been under a lot of stress lately." She paused again to collect her thoughts.

"I just wanted to let you know how proud we are of you, Danny. You did it, little brother. You saved the city and probably the whole world today. Not that any of us had any doubts or anything." The red head sighed as she continued, "If anything I've ever said before made you think that you weren't a real hero, it was dead wrong because you are a hero, Danny. And more than anything you're our hero… my hero. Don't let anyone tell you any differently." She placed a gentle hand onto Danny's, giving his a small squeeze. She clenched her eyes shut, fighting off the tears that refused to stop flowing.

"That's why…that's why you have to fight, Danny. Everyone is worried about you: Mom, Dad, Sam, Tucker, even the Titans. You can't just give up, little brother, not now. You still have a job to do. Who is going to protect Amity Park without you? Who's going to protect us from Walker and Vlad and Technus? Who's going to keep everyone safe if you're gone…if you…" She choked back a sob as she could no longer hide the torrent of emotion that flooded her senses. Her voice cracked from the strain as she uttered one final phrase before breaking down into sobs, "Don't you dare die on us, Danny…"

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

At that very moment, the half-ghost teen was heeding his sister's reassuring speech, a very rare occurrence between the Fenton siblings. Danny was fighting for his life, trying desperately to hold on to the world of the living, despite his body craving for the contrary. He was exhausted, both body and soul and both wanted desperately to give in to sleep of the eternal kind. To just let go; to just give in was so tempting, but there was a part of him that wasn't quite that ready to leave the mortal plane just yet. That side of him was the one that kept him alive: that will, that drive to protect his family, his friends. It fed off his sister's words and used them as fuel to keep him going.

Deep down inside he could feel his strength and powers returning, slowly but surely. The slowly part was the trouble, though. At the moment his returning strength just wasn't enough; his body was just so overly strained from the last battle. Even though he fought to hold on, he could feel that he was slipping in an uncomfortable rate. All he could do now was hang in there and hope he could weather it out.

As he floated above the abyss in between the living and the not so living, he could feel something else; another presence close by. At first he thought it was his ghost sense acting up, but this was different, but at the same time somehow familiar. It felt as if he knew it; as if it was something close to him. His next train of thought was that it was just Jazz, though he ruled that out as well. It finally dawned on him on what or who it was: Raven. It felt the same as when she lent him her powers during the final battle, except it was weak; significantly weaker than when he had felt it flowing through him before. It was so weak that he was surprised that he could even sense it. He shuddered as he felt waves of pain coming from her, which seemed to wear down on what little strength she had left.

It was then he came to the realization: she was dying. After everything he had done, everything he had been through to protect her, she was still dying. He had failed yet again. He felt despair creeping up inside him, threatening to overwhelm his emotions, but that determined feeling, the courage and chivalry which was the only thing keeping him from deaths door prevented it. Instead of giving in, his mind went racing, trying to find a solution to the situation. He had to help her, even if it meant sacrificing himself. The solution finally came to him. "I'm sorry Jazz," he said as he began to focus on the task at hand…

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Jazz was still crying into the sheets of the bed, lamenting over her brother's plight, when the alarm sounded. Her head shot up and she wiped away the tears from her eyes as she studied the instrument panel. Her face became ashen at the readings. Everything was dropping: heart rate, breathing, temperature and most importantly, his ecto-levels. She looked at the readings twice more, to make sure she wasn't reading them wrong; she wasn't. It was as plain as day: Danny was dying. She immediately slammed her hand onto the intercom.

"Somebody, anybody! Emergency in the medical bay. Please…"

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Raven knew that she was dying.

She wasn't going to lie to herself about it. She was expecting something like this to happen eventually in her life; she just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon. In reality, she was just living on borrowed time. When she had learned about the prophecy years ago, she fully anticipated that she would not to survive her fate. Having lived a full year after the defeat of her father was a miracle in and of itself. She was very grateful for the time, however. She got to spend it doing what she loved: spending time with her friends and protecting the city she came to call home. Although she'd prefer to continue living, dying saving the world was a better proposition than dying destroying it.

She fought desperately to stay alive, but she knew her options were limited. She had expended nearly all of her energy helping Danny defeat Valara. As a result, she wasn't able to using her healing powers or to enter into her healing trance, the two things that would have saved her life. Raven knew that her friends would do their best to try and save her but ultimately, she felt that her fate was sealed. And surprisingly enough, she was content with that; everyone had their time to go. The only regret that she had at the moment was a certain halfa who had found away into her heart.

Missed opportunities: you tend to have a lot of them when you think you're about to die. She had more than a dozen pass through her mind last year when she though the world was going to end. Most of them involved her friends and letting them know how much they meant to her. This time, she felt a little more satisfied with how things were left off with her friends. Things with Danny were different, however. If anything, she wished she had a little bit more time getting to know him. She had just recently realized her affection for him for over a day, only to have it end like this. Her mind wandered, wondering what might have been between them. If there was anything she could do to prolong her life just long enough to see his face again, she would have done it in a heartbeat

She suddenly felt something come over her, spreading through her like an electrical charge through wire. It tingled as it coursed through, causing her to shiver. The moment it began, Raven began to feel the deterioration of her energy slow to a stop; as a matter of fact, she began to feel a strength return to her. If she didn't know any better, she could swear that it had a familiar quality to it, almost ethereal, ghostly….

"Danny?" she called out suddenly, realizing who it was from. How was he even doing this? "Danny!" she called again with her mind, this time stronger than before.

"You rang?" he replied, swiftly appearing in front of her. He was in ghost form, his eyes shining along with a boyish grin.

"Danny," she said in a low whisper, grateful that her unspoken wish had come true. Something uncharacteristic overtook her as she closed the gap and gave the halfa a hug, catching him by surprise.

"I'm glad to see you, too," he responded, "I'm also glad you seem to be doing better."

"But how…how are you doing this?"

"The how is still a bit fuzzy to me. That's more your department. I just figured that since you helped me before by lending me your powers, I should do the same to help you." He smiled again, though it quickly turned into a grimace as he doubled over. Raven grabbed him to provide support. She noticed immediately that the glow that normally surrounded him was getting dimmer.

"Danny, no," she argued, "You can't do this. You need your strength more than I do."

"I beg to differ," Danny answered, "I'm not going to let you die; not if I can help it."

"You have to stop," Raven demanded, "You'll die if you keep doing this. You have family and friends who need you and…"

"And so do you," Danny retorted, "The Titans need you; I need you. I'm not going to be able to live with myself knowing that I could have done something to help you, even if it meant trading my life for yours. I made promise that I'd protect everyone I cared about no matter what. You are as much a part of that list as anyone else." Raven was amazed by the amount of determination that shone brightly in Danny's eyes. He was willing to give up everything just for her. There it was again: that almost chivalrous stubbornness that she was quickly remembering him for. Ironically enough, she realized it was one of the many qualities she liked about him. She closed her eyes in defeat, a whisper of a smile playing on her lips.

"Idiot," she spoke softly. She opened her eyes again, giving him a look that was equally as determined as his. Her body began to glow as she activated her healing powers. She then placed a hand on his shoulder as the glow traveled up her arm and washed over him as well. He gave her a perplexed look as she smirked, "Like I'm going to let you die…"

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

"Clear!" Maddie Fenton as she pressed the two paddles onto Danny's chest. Cyborg and the Fentons had arrived a few moments after Jazz had sent the alert on the comm. system. After assessing the situation, the two elder Fentons pulled out something they had been working on recently: a modified defibrillator that sent shocks of energized ecto-plasm instead of electricity. As the paddles discharged, Danny's body jumped as the emerald energy surged into his body. "Just hold on, sweetie," she said as she rubbed the paddles together. She looked up at Danny's ectoplasmic levels on screen. Although they peaked after the shock, the levels dropped again, "Jack, increase the charge of the next pass."

"On it, Maddie," Jack replied, cranking up the level of ecto-plasmic discharge. She waited till the device reached its maximum charge and then repeated the process of trying to save her their son. The others waited by the sidelines: Robin and Starfire were sitting, with his arm around her and her head lying upon his shoulder. Starfire was on the brink of tears as she watched the scene unfold; she absentmindedly petted a green kitten sitting on her lap, which was trying desperately to comfort her. Jazz was crying frantically into Cyborg's metallic chest as he gave her a hug, all while he monitored the progress from the two patients. The mood was solemn as they watched helplessly.

"Wait, that can't be right…" Cyborg suddenly stated as a stream of information was fed to him wirelessly. Detangling himself from Jazz, he made his way towards the information panels above the beds to make sure the information he received was correct. The red head gave him a confused look. "Raven's brain activity is spiking dramatically. And her heartbeat and breathing are increasing almost as much as Danny's are decreasing. If I didn't know any better, I'd say…" before he could finish his sentence, a bluish glow covered Raven's body, which suddenly began to float until it was half a foot above the bed.

"Suffering spooks!" Jack shouted in shock. Both Cyborg and Jazz turned to see what the commotion was about and froze in awe as they watched Danny mirroring Raven, hovering above his bed with the same glow around him.

"Well alright!" Cyborg whooped as he studied his instruments, "Their readings are stabilizing…. Both of them. Raven must have found a way to help herself and Danny out. I think they're gonna be ok." The response was immediate as the room was filled with loud sighs of relief and cries of joy. The Fenton Family was especially elated that their son was going to be ok; Jazz was so happy that she jumped up, grabbed Cyborg by the neck and planted a big kiss onto his cheek, causing the metallic titan to blush profusely.

With their friends out of harm's way, everyone went back to their rooms, thankful that the worse was finally over.

DPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDP

A groan escaped from his lips as consciousness slowly returned to him. His eyes opened; slowly at first, squinting as light assaulted his unaccustomed vision. He found himself staring at a very familiar ceiling. He turned his sluggish head to study his surrounds and found his assumption was correct: he was in the Titan's medical bay. "I really have to stop waking up here," he muttered to himself sardonically.

"I know the feeling," a voice answered back. The halfa turned to his right to find Raven, who was propped upright with a book in her lap. A cup of steaming hot tea sat on the table at the side of her bed. She looked up from her book with a small smirk on her face.

"Raven!" he cried, or rather croaked, as his already strained vocal cords protested at the sudden increase in use. Clearing his sore throat, he continued in a quieter voice, "Raven, are you ok?"

"A little tired, but nothing some meditation won't fix," she replied. Her look turned into one of concern, "What about you?"

"Considering I pretty much went through hell and back like ten times, I'm feeling a lot better," he answered as he examined his bandaged hands, "My voice is pretty much shot at the moment, probably from that last wail; but other than that, I'm peachy. Looks like I owe you my life, again."

"Not that I'm keeping tabs or anything, but yes, you do owe me," Raven playfully replied. "I may or may not collect later. With interest." A soft chuckled was emitted from the halfa's lips. He suddenly turned his attention to his lap, his face wearing a forlorn expression.

"Listen, about before… when I took the book…"

"Danny, stop," Raven interrupted, "You don't have to apologize about that. You did what you thought was right at the time."

"And I hurt you in the process," he admitted, "I should have listened to you. I should have waited instead of letting the Fenton family stubbornness get in the way."

"It wasn't your fault," she disagreed, "She was manipulating you; using your friends to push your buttons. You don't have to apologize for wanting to protect your friends. To tell you the truth, if I were in your shoes, I would have probably done the same thing. Heck, I have done the same thing. So don't worry about it. "

"Still, I don't want you to think that I don't trust you or anything, because I do. And I don't…I don't want to make you cry, ever again."

"As long as you don't pull off any more stupid stunts, you'll be fine," she replied in a tone reminiscent of his mother.

"So, any idea what happened after the fight? Is that big hole in the sky gone?" he inquired.

"Well, we're not in the middle of fire and brimstone, so I'd say the portal should be closed by now," Raven explained, "When you got my powers back, it should have started to seal. As for what's been happening, I'm not sure myself. I just woke up about ten minutes ago. The tea and book were already here, and the cup was still hot, so the others must have been in here recently."

"So it looks like we won, huh?" Danny asked a little bit less enthusiastic than he would have liked, "The city is saved and the ghosts are gone, which means my parents have no reason to stick around. Looks like once I heal up, we'll be leaving." Raven, realizing what he was implying, simply nodded silently. They had only a few days left at most together before Danny and his family would be heading back to Amity Park. Raven gave a ragged sigh as the reality of the situation finally weighed down on her. She wished that there was some way for them to extend the time that they had, but she knew that he still had friends and a city to protect back home. It would have been selfish of her to ask him to stay. She too was just as bound to her own city and home.

"Listen," Danny began after a few moments of awkward silence, "I know it probably be hard. It might be a little bit crazy, but…I still want to try. I want there to be an 'us'… that is, if there is an 'us'."

"Are you sure?" Raven asked hesitantly, doubt drenching her voice, "I mean, I'm no expert but it'll be hard on both of us. I wouldn't want to hold you back or anything. I'm sure there are other girls you'd rather date back home…"

"I'm pretty sure," Danny replied, "I like you, Raven; enough that I'd want to at least try to make this work. I'd really like to get to know you better. Besides, we wouldn't be that far apart. I'm sure the Specter Speeder could make it here in a few hours no problem. And if that doesn't work, I'm sure you could work some teleportation magic or something. Maybe I could even talk my parents into letting me stay for a while; tell them that its superhero training or somethi…" his train of thought was cut short as Raven's lips pressed against his. She had levitated herself over to his bed, unbeknownst to the halfa who had been rambling on. After the shock had worn off, Danny evened the score, bringing her in closer as their lips continued their battle for dominance. This went one for a few moments before they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. The two separated immediately and turned towards their visitor, an incriminating blush on each of their faces. Standing in the doorway was Jazz, who wore an intrigued look.

"Looks like you're well enough," she said with a smile as she made her way to the bed and promptly gave her brother a warm hug, "Glad to see you're doing ok, bro." Danny didn't reply; he knew that wasn't going to hear the end of it from her now, "And don't worry, Danny: your secret is safe with me." And with that she walked out the door, but not without saying in a sing-songy voice, "Danny has a girlfriend…"

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Robin was exhausted. The paperwork he had to fill out after the Titan's recent skirmish was higher than normal. Not only did he have to give detailed accounts of what had happened (stretching the truth a bit to protect Danny's secret, of course) but he also had to fill out damage and repair request forms from the tower's siege, as well as to make sure the Fentons were properly paid for their help during the ordeal. It took him days to get it finished; days that he knew were fraying Starfire's nerves. She understood they needed to be done, but still, even he was annoyed at what little time he had to spend with her. He knew that he'd have to make it up eventually and it looked like it would be soon, as he stamped the last print out. Sitting back, he gave a fatigued yawn.

He still wasn't exactly done, however. After a big case like this, there had to be some follow-up. In this case, it basically meant calling Detective Wolf to see if he had anything on his end to add. It also meant calling back the curator who had helped the Titans get the book. He also wanted to make sure of the status of the books from the old library. Choosing the curator over the police, he turned on his communicator and switched it into phone mode and dialed the number to the museum.

"Jump City Metropolitan Museum Reception Desk," a feminine voice answered the call, "How may I help you?"

"This is Robin from the Teen Titans. I was wondering if I could speak with Professor Marcus please."

"One moment please," the secretary replied. Robin could hear fast typing as she referenced her computerized phone directory. "Marcus, Marcus… I'm sorry; we don't seem to have a listing for a Prof. Marcus. Are you sure you're not looking for someone else?"

"I'm sure," he replied, "Can you check again. Professor Julian Marcus. He's supposed to be the curator."

"I believe you're mistaken. The curator for this museum is Bob Haney. He has been for the past three years." Robin could feel a chill at the pit of his stomach. Something wasn't right here.

"What about the artifacts," he continued, "From the old library. You wouldn't happen to know what the status if of those, do you? Are they still at the warehouse?"

"I'm sorry, but as far as I know, there haven't been any artifacts from the Library. The city has a ban for even going there. The museum has asked for clearance and excavate, but we're still stuck in the red tape. Is there any…" The Boy Wonder hung up the phone, getting everything he needed to hear. He let his mind stew over the revelation: they had been had. The so called professor had been a hoax, as well as any sanctioned excavation. During the chaos of the ghost battle, they had slipped away undetected with who knows how many books and items that could be potentially dangerous in the wrong hands.

He sighed. It looked like Starfire was going to have to wait a little longer. Picking up his communicator again, he called Detective Wolf. It seemed that things weren't exactly over yet. Then again, it never was for the Teen Titans.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He had failed her.

He had failed to watch over her, failed to protect her from his world. He failed to keep that promise he made to his friend all those years ago, to keep her safe. And for that she had paid the price. He watched as she slept, her brown hair splayed out underneath her head. The sound of medical equipment beeping and whirring filled the otherwise silent room. A pair of glasses laid on the table beside her bed, the frame still warped, as if from intense heat. He would have to remember to fix that before she woke up. If she ever woke up. The doctors weren't sure about that small detail. Someone like her shouldn't have eve survived what she went through. If it wasn't for his quick thinking she probably wouldn't have survived.

"How is she?" some asked from the doorway. He turned from his eternal vigil to the man dressed in black, his jet black hair slicked in a way that screamed executive.

"She could be better," he replied in a British accent, "Even if she does manage to wake up from this, the doctors aren't sure how much of her will be left in there. She may end up being a bloody vegetable for the rest of her life."

"That truly is a shame," the new comer replied, "She seemed to have much potential, almost at the same level of her father. We could have used her here."

"This is why I never told you about her. I wanted to protect her from the life I led here. That's why I left her alone. The less she knew about what kind of work I do here, the better. I should have realized she would be too curious about her father. She's just like him: obsessive to a fault."

"It's not your fault, Julian," the man assured, "It would have happened eventually. You could say it was her fate."

"I don't believe in that fate and destiny compost," Julian rebutted, "We make our own destiny."

"That is true," the other man agreed, "And the destiny of mankind rests with us. She could be a great help with our future plans. She'd have to wake up of course." Julian sighed, his fingers pinching the bridge of his brow. This exactly what he didn't want, though he knew it was inevitable. He knew his 'friend' only feigned concern, but in reality he was seeking out her abilities for his own gain, just as he did so to so many years ago to Julian. "Anyway, I wanted to congratulate you on a job well done with the last mission. Not only were you able to get the artifacts back into our hands, you were able to get precious intel on the Titans and their new ally." The man in black pulled out a small device and pushed a button on its side. Suddenly, holographic screen appeared in the air above it, spouting different stats and data. Pushing the button again, the screen changed, this time showing Downtown jump City over a week ago. They both watched what they'd probably seen a thousand times already: The ghost known as Danny Phantom falling to the ground after an intense battle and transforming into a human boy.

"Inessa tells me that a human/ghost hybrid has a great amount of potential. He could be of great use to us."

"I'm glad I was able to help," Julian replied unimpressed, "I'm sure she'd get a kick out of dissecting him, like she always does."

"Her curiosity is quite insatiable, among other things," the other man said, innuendo hanging in the air. "Anyway, I'll leave you be, Julian. I do hope she gets better." And with that, he exited the room, leaving Julian alone once again with his charge. He turned back to her and reached out, petting her hair caringly.

"Don't worry, Lara; your Jules will make sure nothing ever happens to you ever again. I promise…"

End of Volume 1

**An: Ladies and gents; that is it. ****The final chapter of Haunted Destiny.**** I thank all you folks who stuck with me other the last year and a half. I started this story as a newb author and with the help of many of you, I was able to make it what I hope was an enjoyable experience for many. I thank you for your patience and your support. **

**I'm not done with this universe, however. As I have hinted, there are ****still threads that need**** to be looked at further. The sequel to HD is already churning in my head****. I've got plenty of ideas and a lot of parallel plots that I want to play out and I hope all of you are going to enjoy. I'll be playing out the Danny/Raven pairing out to its fullest, though not everything will go well in paradise. We have quite a few people back in Amity who will have something to say to the pairing, so expect drama and lots of it. I'll also be expanding on what the heck just happened in the final parts of the epilogue: who is the mysterious man in black? Is that who you think it is ****laying**** there on the bed? What is this new (or old, depending how you look at it) organization's goals and how is the fate of mankind in their hands (and would we want them to have it)? And who is going to die….**

**Wait, did I just say that? Dang it, I'm letting the spoilers ****slip :p****. I'm going to shut up now before I let slip something more like how Danny's powers aren't done expanding yet. Darn it, I did it again. ****Now**** that the story is over, I need your input! Send me reviews or you can visit my forums here: Let me know what you liked, what you hated, how I can improve any future endeavors. Also, let me know your theories, your ideas, etc. I love feedback from my fans (and critics) and I would love to hear from you.**

**Any who, I hope I don't keep you waiting long on the sequel. My new ****year's**** resolution is to get it finished before January next year, so I better get writing. I thank you all for your support. Keep reading my story and I'll try and keep reading yours. So to all of you, this is ****your**** friendly neighborhood Funkatron, signing off … for now.**


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